Review of Jacqueline Druga-Johnson’s “The Flu”
The Flu tells the tale of a pandemic flu attack on the world, tracing its origin at a remote Alaskan scientific outpost to where it rapidly spreads across the globe, though the story more specifically zeroes in on the United States, and even more particularly on a small town in northeast Ohio, Lodi, which is not tremendously far from Cleveland. The story focuses on Mick, the Sheriff in town and his surrogate family, which consists of the woman he is secretly dating, Dylan, and her three sons. Sam, Dylan’s husband, who she is divorcing, is attempting to reconcile with her at the same time. The lives of this family come into focus as Lodi goes under the magnifying glass because of the return of one of the world’s most renowned virologists, Lars Rayburn, who lives in Lodi one month out of the year, spending the rest of his time studying strains of the flu and other plagues in Madagascar. As this flu, which has a death rate up around 90%, plows across the country and the globe, Lars decides that with the help of the government that he will shut off Lodi and attempt to create a safe haven away from the flu, one where he will be prepared to deal with it when it comes, and will do his best to block it off from ever hitting the town.
The book devotes a goodly amount of early pages on the spread of the flu, and as is the case throughout this tale, we are given the personal stories of those who are exposed to it and are dealing with the pain and anguish it brings. The Flu seems like a tidal wave, smashing into everything, giving it a sense of inevitability. Some survive, though most do not-at least not until it surrounds Lodi. The harsh reality is that the best that seems can be done is to wait until this plague dies out on its own-it spreads, it infects, it kills, and then the flu dissipates, leaving behind approximately 5% of the former population. The author does do a good job of crafting characters that you grow attached to, and can appreciate-the normal, everyday people of the town of Lodi, including the main characters who are just trying to survive and keep the town safe. I think the strongest, most potent parts of this story were when these people were interacting with each other and trying to go on with their lives despite everything happening around them. These two main components of this tale-the inevitability of the flu and the development of characters we care about-bring things to a head in the homestretch of the book.
I enjoyed this tale, and feel that the author did a bang up job crafting a plausible pandemic scenario and also created characters that you care about and are hoping manage to survive, though you suspect from the beginning that it is unlikely that all of them will survive, and there will be plenty of heartbreak. As far as issues I had with the story, I would say a minor one was some of the typos and editing issues, though they were ones I could certainly live with. If I were to state that I had a real issue with things, it wouldn’t be something that I could exactly pinpoint in the story itself. I think it would be more along the lines of the pacing. As I said, the flu moves with a certain amount of inevitability-which means that it seemed that the surprises in this story were few and far between for me-things happen because the flu is going to bulldoze everything in its pathway, and it does so at a relatively slow pace. The story, in turn, moves at that pace as well, taking about half its pages to really move it along to where it started to get really interesting for me. I can understand and appreciate all that came in the first half of the book, but again, I would have been happier with a faster pace up to that point. Even with that said, I give credit where credit is due, and the author deserves a lot for crafting a realistic and intriguing pandemic tale that had characters inhabiting the story that felt real and compelling, which, in the end, made the build up well worth it.
The Flu can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Flu-Jacqueline-Druga-Johnston/dp/1885093489/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329959697&sr=8-1
Review of “MonsterMatt’s Bad Monster Jokes, Volume 1″
What can I really say about this book? It is well over a hundred pages of some of the most groan-inducing jokes about monsters and monster related topics I have ever seen. Not just jokes, but rhymes, raps, and song parodies. MonsterMatt does his best to make you want to stick a fork in your eye, and then, after you’ve gotten over the pain from such an agonizing injury, use your remaining good eye to read more of his jokes. I’m not really sure what kept dragging me back in for more, but I suppose part of it has to be the fact that there is no deception used here-no attempt to convince you, the reader, that any of these jokes will do any more or less than make you cringe at how pun-ishingly bad they are. Of course, if you are like me, and don’t try to take the world we live in too seriously all the time, there is a place for a book like this one. One that you can share with your kids and get them to moan and roll their eyes at you for telling them such bad jokes…ones that they might just tell their friends and not let you know that they did so.
You get everything from the classics: jokes about Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, Wolfman…and jokes about some of the newer stuff out there, like True Blood, The Walking Dead, and movies like Dead Snow. Given that this book is entitled Volume 1, I fear that MonsterMatt is not finished, so be warned. The bad jokes apparently shall return to induce even more headaches and heartburn!
MonsterMatt’s Bad Monster Jokes, Volume 1 can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/MonsterMatts-Bad-Monster-Jokes-1/dp/1617060941/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329709231&sr=1-1
Review of Craig Jones’ “Outbreak: The Zombie Apocalypse”
Outbreak is a zombie outbreak tale told from the first person perspective of Matt, a young man living on a gated estate with his younger brother, Danny. Their parents died a few years earlier, leaving them independently wealthy and living close to a fairly small, remote village in south Whales. They don’t have jobs and no other reason to venture out from behind their walls-especially with the government telling everyone to remain hidden while the undead roam the land. But there are other people begging for help in their little village like Nick, his wife, and three children. So the two brothers, watching as the undead slowly creep into their lives, try to do what they can to help those around them.
Outbreak is, in many ways, a pretty routine tale of an undead uprising. The zombies here are slow, stupid, and until they see blood they tend to be fairly limited in their reactions to humans (at least from a distance- the living who get near them are brutalized, naturally). This is a story of two brothers’ relationship and how they cope, and in ways, grow into something more than the leisurely slackers they’ve been most of their lives before this crisis consumes them and everyone around them. They find it hard to react to what is happening at first, as does everyone else, but before long it changes them from carefree lay bouts into desperate souls willing to risk their lives for people they barely know.
In other ways, this story is different than the majority of zombie tales out there. The outbreak is contained to Great Britain, which is sealed off from the rest of the world while the inhabitants either eradicate the undead or humanity is wiped off the island completely. Another aspect of the tale that is different is that living actually manage to turn the tide here, but not before the brothers and their new found friends face tremendous perils, witness the gruesome demise of several people they are trying to save, and are forced to cope with heart wrenching loss.
But the story does not stop when the undead are defeated…
The story carries forward from there, and this simple story of the zombie apocalypse takes a couple of interesting turns. Without revealing too much (or any spoilers), I can say that this book has three very different parts to it, and what I have described above only encompasses the first of the three.
I’m not sure how to react to the book in its entirety. It is written well, and I did grow somewhat attached to Matt, despite his self-absorption and inability, at times, to see things beyond his own misery. He grows and changes through the tale, but not necessarily matures, and not all of his changes are positive or smart. This leads to the intriguing, if somewhat slow moving second part of the book, and the shocking third and final act.
At times, I was wondering why the story was continuing on long past the putting down of the undead, and in retrospect, I think the author could have condensed things a bit in part two of the tale, just to move things along and get us to the adrenaline-drenched conclusion of the story.
Suspension of disbelief is always a key part of enjoying a good zombie tale. There are a couple of instances in this story that might stretch that suspension of disbelief for some folks out there who like their zombies to be of the traditional variety. I am not talking about the slow vs. fast debate, but what capabilities zombies have beyond being mindless eating machines. For me, this wasn’t an issue, because I believe the creative liberties the author took here with the undead were intriguing, but it is fair to point out that if you tend to dislike seeing zombies doing more than acting like thoughtless predators, you might take issue with this story as it progresses.
Overall, this was an interesting and fun undead story. The characters felt genuine and real to me, even if Matt and Danny were foolish, arrogant, and rash at times. They were also likable and in their own way, quite noble. Again, there are really three distinct acts here, and each one moves at a different pace. While the first act could stand alone, the second, more plodding act allows the story to move to the final portion of this tale, which flies by at a blistering pace and had my heart racing before all was said and done.
Outbreak: The Zombie Apocalypse can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Outbreak-the-zombie-apocalypse-ebook/dp/B006T3IRD4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329434397&sr=1-1
Review of Ryan C. Thomas’s “Hissers”
Hissers starts out giving the reader a hint as to what to expect with the rest of the story when we are introduced in the prologue to a General and a scientist in a government financed lab. They are working on ways to help soldiers in war with healing and regeneration of limbs and have come across some significant success, though there is still work to be done. But they need to sell what they’re doing to the higher ups to get more of the financing they need. So they plan on flying across country and demonstrating what they have so far. Fast forward to the start the actual story and we are introduced to a quartet of soon to be high school students-Connor, Seth, Nicole, and Amanita-who are preparing for the last weekend before school starts and their lives change dramatically as they move closer to adulthood in their little town. There is a huge party that night, and some of them plan on attending. But any plans they have come to a screeching to a halt when a plane crashes, plowing down the very street they were headed to for the party. Rushing to see if they can help any survivors, they quickly discover that those that were killed in the crash are getting back up and have turned into ravenous undead monsters. And these aren’t just your typical sprinter zombies, these are ones that have gained the ability to absorb replacement limbs that they themselves might end up tearing off their victims. Not only replacements, but additional limbs. This new race of the undead make an eerie hissing noise as they move and attack that gives the book its name.
The rest of the tale takes place over the course of the night and next day, with our four main characters racing for their lives and coping with tons of teenage angst and drama that comes with them normally. They get to witness the demise of loved ones and just about everyone in their town. No one is safe from these crazed monsters or the author’s willingness to hand over victims to the cause. Parents are struck down, but so are children and even babies. There is plenty of gore, action, and fast paced adrenaline drenched terror to go around for all. Hissers was a lot of fun in that regard-the action is intense and the monsters are creative and scary-they aren’t quite zombies, but still have some of the same qualities we all know with the undead-you have to hit them in the head, their bites turn others into what they are, and they can be tricked and fooled because they aren’t too bright.
For the most part, the four main characters are fairly believable, though the author stretched that believe-ability for me on occasion with some of their dialog and inner-monologues. It seemed somewhat forced on occasion, and a little overwrought. I get that these kids are dealing with incredibly harrowing situations, but it seemed that they were becoming a bit too profound with their analysis of not only what was going on, but life in general and their beliefs (or lack of belief) in God. This wasn’t something that distracted too much from my overall enjoyment of the tale, but something that definitely merits being brought up in this review.
Overall, Hissers is a fast paced, adrenaline charged zombie variation with some new and intriguing twists that occasionally bogs down with a few bits of overwrought dialog from its young cast, but nothing that should take away too much of your overall enjoyment of this creative, fun horror tale.
Hissers can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Hissers-Ryan-C-Thomas/dp/193486160X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328673114&sr=1-1
Review of the movie “Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption”
Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption is a bare bones, low budget movie made by folks who appear to be having fun with what was clearly a labor of love. The basic synopsis of the plot is that John Knox, the main character, is condemned to death by the group of Apocalyptic Raiders he fell in with after the dead have risen and the world is overrun by zombies. The reason for his sentence is that he no longer wants to follow the leader Rome, who like Knox is ex-military, but is a psychopath that slaughters for fun and for no other discernible reason. Knox is allowed to escape by one of the other members of the group who apparently also doesn’t like Rome much either (and gets executed for his troubles). The escape isn’t without hardships, since Knox is left handcuffed and is sent out into the desert. He manages to avoid getting devoured by a zombie and gets rescued by a band that roams the wastelands doing their best to fend for themselves. They are led by a man named Moses (Fred Williamson) who is likely the only member of the cast that the vast majority of the audience might know. Knox does his best to help his new found friends, even though trust is hard to come by given the fact that they know of his raider past. At the same time, his old nemesis, Rome, wants Knox found and executed, and so the hunt is on. Of course, the two groups end up clashing and in the end this tale becomes a battle between good and evil, with a horde of the undead smack dab in the middle of it all.
I was provided this movie for review because I am essentially a zombie-fiend. I review mainly zombie and other horror-type novels, but now and then I will review a movie. Yes, this is a very low budget movie and is very much a b-grade flick. Some of the dialog was a bit rough and every now and then unintentionally amusing. Jerry Lynch, who plays the head bad guy, appears to be fond enough of chewing scenery that he probably got indigestion after he was done here. Nope, this one won’t win any major awards, but for me, it was a fun post apocalyptic zombie flick. You sort of have to just go with it-accept the limitations of having minimal budget, no real known actors, and a simple apocalyptic premise. If you can do that, this movie is fun to watch. The concept is workable, with a bit of a Road Warrior type feel to the bad guys with their mishmash of armor and a deluded leader who craves power. Fred Williamson might be a bit too old to be doing fight scenes (he is over 70, after all), but even watching him do that after having seen him in plenty of classic B-Grade action flicks of the past brought a smile to my face. This is a simple, rock ‘em, sock ‘em zombie flick with a high body count and no hidden meanings. Pick your side, grab a weapon, and kill both the undead as well as the living that would kill you first if they had the chance. Go in knowing what to expect here and you will probably have some fun with this one.
Zombie Apocalypse: Redemption can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Apocalypse-Redemption-Johnny-Gel/dp/B0055CP9S6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1328389092&sr=1-1
Review of Carlos Sisi’s “The Wanderers”
The Wanderers is a translated version of a Spanish zombie novel brought over to the United States by Permuted Press. This is a fairly traditional zombie tale that takes place in Malaga, Spain, a city on the Mediterranean coast. It has an ensemble cast with several key characters that are focused on. The tale covers the initial rise of the dead and carries through to when the city is controlled by the dead and very few of the living remain. The zombies are a mix of slow and fast but I would say they are very traditional-they reaction to visual and audio stimulus and require that you do trauma to the brain to put them down.
While the zombies are the main obstacle for the living, as is the case with most quality zombie tales a human nemesis becomes the real problem. In this case, it is a priest who has tortured himself while locked up in his church trying to find the meaning behind the dead rising and has naturally interpreted it as a clear sign of the Apocalypse. Still, he doesn’t know why he has been spared, and in the madness that ensues, he submits himself to the zombie hordes outside the church, prepared to bring things to an end. This is when he discovers that the undead have no interest in him. They do not attack or try to eat him, but move past him, oblivious to his existence. Taking this as the sign he has been waiting for from God, along with a note from some survivors pleading for help that blows by where he is standing, he sets out to become the Angel of Death. He will use the undead to send the rest of the living straight to hell.
While the use of clergy who align themselves with the undead, or use them to defeat the living is nothing new in zombie storytelling, I think this is the first instance I have come across where a religious figure is given a genuine, if perhaps misguided, sign that they are special, and that God has granted them special powers.
The translation of this story from Spanish to English has a few hiccups, though none that really confused me. There are perhaps a few words missing and some awkward translations, but overall it was good enough. The story itself is solid enough, with a few characters that had a genuine feel to them that allowed me to grow attached and saddened by their loss, though there a decent amount of what I would call “cannon fodder” characters that were less interesting. The priest is somewhat one dimensional, with a madness that I have seen before in other stories-they have been chosen to destroy the sinners. This priest does so without question and with no doubts. Don’t get me wrong, the result is a loathsome and vile character that you love to hate, and want to see perish. The author does a good job making things interesting here, since this character you wish to see dead might also hold the key to survival because of his unique immunity to the undead.
Overall, this is an entertaining zombie tale. That it takes place in Spain gives it a bit of a different flavor than what I’m used to, and everything about the priest character made him quite intriguing. While there are murmurs of a possible sequel or trio of books in this saga, this story stands completely on its own, with no real loose ends that had me begging for more answers in the end.
The Wanderers can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Wanderers-Carlos-Sisi/dp/1618680145/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328063284&sr=1-2
Review of Kevin Burke’s “The Last Mailman: Neither Rain nor Sleet nor Zombies…”
The Last Mailman is, as others have discovered, not a really accurate title for this book, given what actually happens in this tale, but it does introduce us to the main character and what his job essentially is, with some caveats. DJ is the hero of his world, which is four years past the onset of the zombie apocalypse. He lives in a walled in, protected city that is a stand-in for New York. Other stand-ins are out there for other cities-the real cities fell to the undead and the survivors that managed to get to the barricaded bases nearby named them in honor of the fallen. So new-New York has a population of a little over 800 people. DJ has been nicknamed the mailman, though he doesn’t deliver packages between cities, as you might suspect. Instead, he is the guy who goes out into the wilderness (which is everything beyond the walls) and searches for people that were left behind, as well any mementos for the survivors who made it to New York and left those others behind. He brings closure, because the majority of the time he finds no survivors, just their corpses or the zombie versions of them, and gives them their final rest. The story leaps from this concept, which would have been an interesting one on its own, to a mission the President of New York has called DJ in to be involved with: Atlanta has indicated that they have discovered a cure for the plague, and they are willing to swap several women for doses of the cure. That is another key element of this story: women are asked to volunteer to breed so the human race can continue to grow. They are not forced to; it seems that most women are willing to do so, at least in New York, and apparently in Atlanta as well, though not everyone is happy with the concept. Despite his better judgment about trading women for a cure, DJ is willing to hop the flight to oversee the trade. The plane ends up crashing, and the survivors land out in the wilderness, which is DJ is at his best. Together, those that survive the crash decide that they’ll try to make the trip to Atlanta instead of heading back to New York, with the hope of somehow completing the mission. The book tells the tale of DJ and the other survivors and their adventures out in the wild, facing both zombie and living perils along the way.
Overall, this was an entertaining zombie read, with ample gore and action. DJ is a man’s man, but he makes plenty of mistakes along the way, which lends a human quality to him, along with the fact that he always seems willing to do what he can for his friends and other survivors. It was hard not to like him as a character. This story is told in first person from DJ’s perspective, and for the most part, that works in this tale. Overall, the story was fun, though I felt that some scenes were sped through that could have been drawn out with more detail and more nuance, but that is a minor complaint. As to other concerns I had with the story, there were a few I feel it only fair to point out. One is that the author swaps perspectives briefly-for about the length of a chapter or two, to two characters besides DJ. It is a bit disorienting in a first person tale, and I don’t think it was necessary here (the author could have figured out another way to share that same information we get from these other people). I also felt that one particular character changed their personality late in the game in a way that didn’t really make sense to me. It felt forced-an attempt to make things more interesting, I suppose.
Even with these quibbles, this was a fun, enjoyable zombie tale with an interesting take on what the future might hold for the long term survivors of the zombie apocalypse.
The Last Mailman can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Mailman-Neither-Sleet-Zombies/dp/1934861979/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327281351&sr=8-1
Review of Kody Boye’s “Sunrise”
Back in October of ’09, I wrote a review of Kody Boye’s Sunrise. Kody, who was under the age of eighteen when he wrote his book of the zombie apocalypse, clearly had talent, but his story was somewhat raw, which was something I expected from such a young man still learning his way in the world.
At that time, I stated that the criticism I would have of the story would go hand in hand with what I find appealing about his writing style: his youthful idealism and exuberance. He wrote of romance in the time of the world ending with a great deal of zeal and perhaps with what some might call immaturity, although when seen through the perspective of someone who was not yet an adult, the perceptions he had should be understandable.
Kody Boye has changed since then. Now, as an adult, he has taken the time to revisit his first novel and revise it in ways that are more in keeping with his increase in adult experiences and relationships. In its earlier version, I would have been very comfortable stating that the story was all about gay characters and their experiences during the zombie apocalypse. Now, with the revisions that Kody has made, I would say that this story is about the experiences a group of people have during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the characters are gay, and it remains a theme in this book, but while it remains a key part of Dakota and Jamie’s experiences and their existence as main characters, it doesn’t detract from a story of the apocalypse, of human relationships, and how people manage to not only survive, but to thrive during times of great peril and tragedy.
Essentially, this story starts out with Dakota, a boy who has just turned eighteen, hiding out with his friend Steve, an Iraqi war veteran, in Steve’s apartment in the weeks following the start of the zombie apocalypse. With their supplies running out, they are forced to find a way out of their town with hopes of finding a safe haven. They end up at a modified apartment complex with several members of the military and several civilians there, including Jamie, a corporal who forms an almost immediate bond with Dakota.
Several key characters are introduced and developed within the pages of this book, and much is revealed about them as they fight and struggle to survive the undead…and the unique, intriguing new creatures that appear later in the book that may or may not be a new hybrid creation.
Kody’s writing has matured, and while some of his youthful abandon and exuberance has perhaps disappeared on these pages, it has been replaced by a sure hand that understands more about how adult relationships work, grow, and evolve. No, how some of them evolve is perhaps not perfect, but nothing ever is. Some of the imagery Kody creates seems a bit extravagant here and there, though he does paint a vivid picture that allows you to feel that you are a part of the landscape he is creating.
Sunrise is a tale of the apocalypse, of relationships, and of the struggles we all face to find love, understanding, and a place to call home in a world filled with death and destruction. Kody Boye has matured as a writer and is someone to keep an eye on. I see great things in his future.
Sunrise can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Kody-Boye/dp/1468149652/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326921549&sr=8-1&tag=vig-20
Guest Blog from author Kody Boye!
Every once in a while I get the chance to do something fun because of this writing and reviewing gig I have created for myself. No, I haven’t gotten a space on the next commercial flight up to the international space station, but that would be cool, wouldn’t it? But unless I become a bajillionaire, or they start giving those away for free, I am out of luck on that account.
Nope, that ain’t happening, but something pretty cool is occurring here on my blog. Kody Boye, a young and talented author who has impressed me with his skill with the written word (well, part of it is jealousy, since he is less than half my age and probably has written three times as much stuff as I have thus far in his brief career), suggested that we do a blog swap to promote the release of his new book. What is a blog swap? Well, I’m glad you asked! It is just what it sounds like. One blogger writes a post for the other blogger and vice versa, and then they post them on their respective blogs. So Kody has handed off a post that he wrote specifically for me, and I have done the same for him. I can’t tell you when my babbling will appear on his blog, but you should definitely pop on over there and check it out, and not just for my words, but for his, because Kody is a diverse talent who has written horror, fantasy, and in plenty of other genres. Most recently, Kody’s book, Sunrise, has been re-released after he did some major overhauling of this zombie apocalyptic tale. I read the original version and had the privilege of reading the reworked version not too long ago. Let me just state for the record that Kody wrote Sunrise originally well before he was eighteen. In many ways, it was obvious with that first version how young he was. Kody saw things in a certain way that I think was unique and was coming from the mind of someone who had experienced a lot in a short time, but still had some growing up to do. But don’t we all, even into our forties and beyond? In some ways, losing the haze of youth is both sad and necessary, and as such, the changes with the revised version of Sunrise reflected those changes in Kody. Compare the two versions side by side and you will see how Kody has changed as an author and as a person over the past few years. His writing is crisper, sharper, and inevitably, filled with more of the harsh tones of reality we face in this world and the world of adults. My review of Sunrise will follow this post later tonight, but for now, please enjoy Kody’s simple and eloquent analysis of zombies below, along with the cover of his book. -PD
Zombies: What they Represent and How They Parody the Living
There is much debate as to what zombies represent in the media and fiction. Some say they are a result of our lesser reptilian conscience coming to life in the most stressful of situations; others say that they are meant to reveal the most intimate flaws that exist within each and every one of us. To a writer, zombies can mean many things. Life, death, the present, the future, the past, what happens to us after death and just where our minds (or our ‘spark’) go—we have begged to question just what it was that happens when our physical bodies cease to exist for millennia. Why, we would not be human if we did not think on such things, as it was with higher conscience we evolved to walk as we do now.
To me, zombies are simple.
Zombies represent the most primal instincts within humanity. The animalism presented in their actions, their conscience and desires are what take us back to that fateful age when, thousands of years ago, all we craved was food and survival. We were, however, driven by instinct to protect ourselves. Unlike zombies, we have always had fear to inhibit and hold us back. It is not without reason that as children we are afraid of the dark, as during the night it is said that monsters will rise from under the bed to destroy all that it we feel is safe, and it is not without consequence that we are afraid to commit actions that would otherwise land us in severe trouble. That is perhaps the most terrifying thing about the zombie. Their no-holds-barred, unrestrained behavior when they attack their prey is akin to a predatory instinct that we have long since evolved away from. Sure—we may still hunt our prey on occasion, but we most often do so with simple guns and ammo, possibly even bows and arrows should we be willing to return to our former roots in our ways of hunting. There are very few occasions when we actually physically hunt our prey with tooth and claw—which, to the rest of the animal kingdom, seems outrageous. We were created as omnivores for a reason, to find and seek and hunt and kill the prey and foods that we eat. It is terrifying to think that, once upon a time, we were no more than animals, which is why, in my opinion, people are afraid of zombies. It is not about a lack of conscience, the loss of memories or even the desire to kill those we love—it is the return to animal roots that make them the most frightening.
Kody Boye’s zombie novel, Sunrise, is now available on Smashwords.com and on Amazon in paperback formats (with Kindle forthcoming.) You can find more about him and his future projects by going to KodyBoye.com.
Review of Jeff Kinley’s “The Christian Zombie Killer’s Handbook”
I will freely admit that when I first heard of The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook, I presumed it would be along the lines of the Zombie Survival Guide or perhaps a tongue in cheek guide like the ones created by Scott Kenemore, such as “The Zen of Zombie.” So even after I had read a few pages into the book, I was still waiting for the punch line or the snarkiness to come out. I guess that despite expecting something different initially, I can’t say I’m surprised that a Christian minister has embraced the concept of zombies in an effort to use the rotting buggers as a euphemism for original sin. The proposal here is that each of us has an inner zombie-an evil that dwells inside that is genetically encoded into our DNA. It isn’t something we can get rid of, because it’s been there since Adam and Eve ate the apple. This zombie makes us pull away from God-we are driven to pull away because of the lusts and desires that we are always battling with inside. The zombie is our dark passenger that rides with us everywhere we go, and is always urging us to step away from the light and the promises for salvation that Jesus offers.
In tandem with the extended sermon that Jeff Kinley serves up, he gives us the story of Ben, who lives in an alternate universe filled with real zombies. They crop up every so often, killing the innocent, before they are put down by the police or other authorized execution squads. Ben’s story is doled out in bits and pieces, between each chapter of the sermon, and it really doesn’t go anywhere. It might have been more interesting had it come to some sort of conclusion that allowed it to be a stand alone tale, but since its whole purpose is to create parables for each individual chapter of the book, it is sorely lacking.
I don’t think it would be fair for me to judge this book based on my misplaced expectations when I first opened it up. I think it better that I stress something to anyone who has not yet read the book: this book is a sermon that strives to make you accept that if you are a Christian, you are undeniably weak and fallible, but that Jesus loves you like that, and expects you to be strong, and resist the temptations put to you by your inner zombie which manipulates and twists you into wanting to serve your own needs above all else. It is that simple. The author uses the increased popularity of zombies in our society to drive home this point. Jeff Kinley recognizes that zombies, since they first appeared in George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, have been used as symbols in one form or fashion both in books and on the big screen. We are the zombies-drones who robotically go about our routine, driven by lust and greed and undeniable urges to do evil. With that said, I don’t necessarily buy into the author’s analogy here. I think vampires would be a more apt representation of our dark, greedy, evil side. Because while zombies do represent undeniable urges in us, they are mindless feeding machines that (for the most part, in most movies and literature) are not evil, but just forces of nature. Evil requires thought, and zombies do not have thoughts. They just do what they are designed to do. If each of us had an inner zombie, I seriously doubt we could resist its urges, since they are not based on any sort of debate on whether we should be good or bad people. Zombies just do what they do, with no compunction and no guilt. Again, I would propose that the vampire-tormented by its desire to drink blood and to kill, while at the same time corrupting others as it does so, is more of an apt metaphor for original sin. Doing battle with our inner vampire makes more sense to me.
This was not a book for me, thought I might find it interesting to discuss the concept of the inner zombie with the author, as well as zombies in general. This is a book that can and will find the right audience, though I suspect that quite a few people will never be attracted to its message. Even so, for the right person, this book has a very compelling message.
You can find the The Christian Zombie Killer’s Handbook here: http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Zombie-Killers-Handbook-Slaying/dp/1595554386/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326852129&sr=1-1
Cover of “Before Plan 9: Plans 1-8 From Outer Space” revealed!
A while back, I had the opportunity to write a story for a new anthology based on an old movie. Let me correct myself. It was an old, bad movie. Not just any bad movie, but THE bad movie. The one that is so bad it has gotten awards for being the worst movie ever made, and because of that, has become a cult classic in the minds of people everywhere. Heck, they made a movie about the guy who made this movie because this movie was so bad, and this guy was so good at making bad movies and THAT movie even won an academy award. Strange, huh? A movie about a movie that is bad winning an academy award. Go figure.
Well, I’m not trying to keep any secrets here, since everyone can guess based on the title of this post what movie I’m talking about. It is Ed Wood Jr.’s classic Plan 9 from Outer Space. Tony Schaab, who runs Twinstar Media, as a huge fan of the movie and someone who is involved in the novelization of the script as well as a remake of the movie, came up with an intriguing question: if the movie shows what Plan 9 was from the aliens, which failed so miserably, what were their first 8 plans to conquer earth? Well, maybe not to conquer earth, but to prevent us from making a solarnite bomb. And if you don’t know what a solarnite bomb is, go look for Plan 9 on Youtube-you can watch the entire movie in all its wretched glory free of charge.
Thus was born the idea behind Before Plan 9: Plans 1-8 From Outer Space. I’m proud to be a part of this project and to have the chance to pay homage to one of the worst movies of all time with what I hope isn’t one of the worst short stories of all time, heh. My little story has the honor of being Plan 1, if you can believe it! It is entitled: Plan 1 from the Lesser-Heralded Parts of The Odyssey. Yep, these aliens have been bugging us humans since the days of Greek heroes like Odysseus.
Here is the full table of contents:
- Plan Zero from the Mesozoic Era by Tony Schaab
- Plan 1 from the Lesser-Heralded Parts of The Odyssey by Patrick D’Orazio
- Plan 2 from Ancient Egypt by D.A. Chaney
- Plan 3 from the Middle Ages of Hamelin by Greg Carter
- Plan 4 from the Clockwork Country by Tonia Brown
- Plan 5 from the Depressing Depression by David Dunwoody
- Plan 6 from the Nazi Regime by Rob Silvera
- Plan 7 from Sin City by Jonathan Maberry
- Plan 8 from the Fantastic Fifties, Phase 1 by Craig DiLouie
- Plan 8 from the Fantastic Fifties, Phase 2 by Joe McKinney and Michael McCarty
Review of Jessica Meigs’ “The Becoming”
The Becoming tells the tale of three people in the early days of the zombie apocalypse. Brandt is a military man who flees Atlanta not long after the start of the Michaluk virus. He was at the epicenter, having volunteered to be one of the guards at the CDC when the plague first broke free from one of the labs. As the city crumbles and the dead begin to rise, he heads west to Alabama while the virus spreads further out from the city at the same time. Ethan and Cade, two friends living in Memphis, are swept up in the story not long after as the virus plows through the entire southeastern United States. Ethan is a Memphis police officer who just got promoted while Cade is his next door neighbor and a former member of the Israeli Defense Force, or IDF, who has immigrated to the United States. Things hit the fan pretty fast in this tale, with the bulk of the early story dealing with Ethan and Cade coping with their first horrific exposure to the virus and then hitting the road, trying to figure out how to survive as everyone around them turns into flesh eating monsters. They hook up with Brandt while trying to see if Ethan’s mother is still alive in her small Alabama town, and together the three decide to head back west, toward Mississippi and with the hope of outrunning the fast moving virus. Naturally, there are interpersonal conflicts between the three, and they also end up meeting a few other survivors that add to the intense interpersonal relationships. This tale is the first of what I believe is a trilogy, and focuses quite well on the key things that tend to work well in zombie apocalypse novels: strong characters, lots of action, and a healthy dose of gore. It doesn’t break new ground in the zombie genre, but while stories like that are always welcome, it isn’t necessary when a story is filled with compelling characters and a solid plot.
This story has both of those, and its focus on the three main characters serves it well. They are well drawn and fit well into the survivor roles with their skills and training in the military and police force. But despite those talents, they are just as human as anyone else and coping with such incredible tragedy is quite difficult for them. The good, the bad, and the ugly of their personalities rear their heads when they are dealing with one another, the undead, and the other survivors that appear in this story. While the characters each ticked me off in turn and made me want to slap each one of them for acting the way they do, they were all also trying to do their best to remain human and doing what they can to help each other out, giving me reason to like them at the same time. Their reactions to the tragedies that unfold around them were real for the most part, though a couple of instances bothered me: Cade’s overall reaction to what happens to her niece and Ethan’s lack of urgency in getting to his wife-when they are first separated and later on in the story, when he wants to return to Memphis. Even with those minor complaints, the characters have a realness to them that helped me feel comfortable rooting for them to survive.
Overall, the writing in The Becoming is solid and the editing is excellent. The author tended to use eye color a bit much to reference particular characters and also used the word ‘smirk’ a lot, but even with those quibbles, it was clear that she is a talented writer who should continue to get better the more she puts pen to paper. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Meigs comes up with next for the compelling characters she’s created in this story.
You can find The Becoming here: http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Jessica-Meigs/dp/1934861855/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326433053&sr=8-2
Review of Bryan Hall’s “Containment Room 7″
DARC12 is a deep space research vessel that is located as close to a black hole as it can without being sucked into it. Its mission is to do research that is illegal back home (genetic studies, animal experimentation, etc.) as well exploration of distant space. The DARC vessels have been looking for, and have not found alien life, so when DARC12 finds a strange asteroid nearby that seems to be alive, it is a monumental discovery. Despite the fact that this living thing appears to be nothing more than some sort of plant life, or so it seems at first, it is brought on board for examination. Not long after it arrives, the people exposed to it-the scientists and the head of security, Wilson, as well as others among the crew, are hearing voices inside their heads-voices the promise peace and happiness or ignite fears and nightmares insides their skulls. Soon one of the members of the team that handled the alien is murdering at the command of those voices, and Wilson, who is starting to fear that the perhaps the alien presence has something to do with that shocking event, has to figure out what is going on. But the worst is yet to come, as those killed are coming back to life as they too are called by the alien presence to do its bidding. They are ravenous, fast moving killers, tearing into anything that crosses their path.
Containment Room 7, which is named for the room where the alien is kept to be studied, is a combination alien and zombie tale of horror that moves at a breakneck pace, giving the reader little to no time to breath as things happen on board this massive research vessel. I believe the entire story takes place in a little over 24 hours, with madness and the undead spreading through the DARC12 in no time. Like most horror tales that take place inside a space faring vessel, the cramped conditions and remoteness of their location give the tale a claustrophobic sense to it.
There are four main characters in this story: Wilson, the head of security, Rodney and Colette, two security officers, and Lisa, a biologist. Of those that survive the onslaught of the murderous fanatics and undead, they appear able to resist the call of the alien in their midst, or so it seems. They have meager weaponry meant to maintain peace with; a crew of 144 that typically does no worse than have the occasional argument or suicide attempt to keep security busy. They have repeaters, which amount to b-b gun tazers, and a few batons. More than enough to stop a human being, but that do little to stop ravenous zombies.
The book is a wild ride, with desperate efforts to try and discover what is going on and then putting a stop to it with enemies coming at the main characters in all directions-the living, the dead, and alien who are all trying to destroy them. The author leaves plenty of unanswered questions, which is not surprising, though it may be unsatisfying to some readers. We never really understand much about the alien, including how it can control some minds so effectively while others seem able to resist, what it is transforming into, what its purpose is, or how it can control the dead…but as with the case with both alien and zombie sagas, sometimes those questions are best left unanswered, since this is a tale of unknown terror and trying to flee from it when you are stuck on board ship that offers no real escape at all. This is a fun, nightmare inducing book-a scary tale worth checking out for both fans of sci fi and zombie horror both.
Containment Room 7 can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Containment-Room-7-Bryan-Hall/dp/193486191X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326052611&sr=1-1
“Live and Let Undead” is available on Amazon!
Live and Let Undead, an anthology with my tale “Legacy,” has been released and is now available over on Amazon. Just click the cover image and you’ll be heading over there so you can check it out for yourself.
I am really excited about this anthology. The story I wrote was truly inspired, and I wrote the first draft faster than any other story I’ve written. I loved the concept of this anthology: the idea of zombies not being the enemy, but being our domestic servants, much like you’ll find in the movie Fido. Of course, I suspect there were a lot of different takes on this particular concept. My story is certainly not what you might expect, or at least I hope not!
I think that any true zombie fan will love this one, and should give it a shot. Check out the description from the back cover, including the list of authors who contributed to this collection. I’m sure you’ll recognize a name or two on the list…or several.
The Zombie-pocalypse is real! Loved ones are returning from the grave in search of flesh and brains! Humans are running scared!
Aren’t they?
Here, rather than shooting them in the head, eighteen talented authors have figured out how to put the Undead to work. Zombies can now be contributing members to society once more.
Looking for some customer service help? ”Operators” from AM Burns, has just the call center crew for you. Need road repairs? Check out the workers in Mike Baretta’s “Memorial Day.” How about a solution for all those bombs, drugs, and other nasty stuff crossing through our seaports? Matt Adams’ Sparky can take care of it in “Sparky Save The World.”
These stories, and others, from authors-
Rebecca Snow
Keith Gouveia
Barry Rosenberg
Suzanne Robb
Patrick D’Orazio
Janet Tait
JW Schnarr
Brian Johnson
Steve Ruthenbeck
Daniel Robichaud
Brook Fabian
Jeff Chitty
HE Roulo
Peter Giglio
and
Eric Juneau
-will have you wishing for a zombie of your own.
Maybe…
Review of Suzanne Robb’s “Z-Boat”
Z-Boat tells the tale of the Betty Loo, an ancient heap of a submarine contracted out for search and rescue missions several decades in the future. The world has changed since the early part of the twenty first century, with massive pollution, tremendous political turmoil, deteriorating food and water supplies, and in general, a pretty messed up world. People do live longer and food is genetically enhanced, but large corporations run things along with the new superpowers: North Korea, Russia, and Israel. There is little in the way of freedom anymore, and the human race is starting to die out because food is losing its nutritional value and clean water is scarce. Missions to explore the depths of the ocean to find new solutions to the world’s energy and bio related problems are believed to be one of the few remaining hopes to the long term survival of the human race.
We are introduced to a decent sized cast of characters in this story: the members of the Betty Loo’s crew that have been with her for the long haul and the new members of the team who have signed on to join them for a search and rescue of a sub that is at a depth the Betty Loo has never gone to and perhaps can’t handle in her semi-decrepit state. It is clear almost immediately that virtually everyone who has been hired on for this mission has ulterior motives, and no one has any idea who to trust. No one really knows who has hired them for the operation, as that information is kept secret, even from the captain, though several grim facts have been shared with him that make him realize that this might be the last mission the Betty Loo ever undertakes.
The cast of characters is colorful, with several ranking high on the intrigue scale. Ally, the ship’s pilot with the cloudy past, is the captain’s right hand and is probably as close to a main character as this ensemble piece gets. Ivan, the newcomer who appears to be in charge of divulging information to the crew on a need to know basis, is an ominous presence along with the doctor and research scientist who have found their way onto this mission with him. Each has their own agenda, which the author doles out in bits and pieces as the story unfolds. The author also shares with the reader the perspective of virtually every character as key things happen, often switching from one to another rapidly to make us aware of some of the motivations that drive the different members of the crew, both new and old.
Oh yes, there are zombies in this tale, but this book is more of a thriller than a zombie story, with the gruesome gut-munchers not showing up until more than two-thirds through the book. When they do, they provide the level of gory entertainment that zombie fans crave. I didn’t see the build up to their reveal as a negative here-there was plenty to keep the plot rolling along in advance of their involvement, and even after they make their appearance, the elements that made the book a dark thriller remain in place.
Z-Boat was an ambitious undertaking. It blends elements of both horror and thriller effortlessly, and also gives the reader a solid perspective of life aboard a submarine without letting the technical details of such an experience become overwhelming (or boring!). We are given just the right amount of detail on the Betty Loo so we understand how she operates when things are working and when they are falling apart without feeling like we’ve read a technical manual. The twists and turns of the plot challenged me to keep up, but didn’t leave me scratching my head, which in some ways can be both a good and a bad thing. As I mentioned, the author reveals a great deal about each of the characters and what they’re thinking, so how they act and react doesn’t generate surprise or shock as we dig deeper into the story, which makes this one more of a thriller than a true mystery in my mind. Of course, the zombies themselves are always unpredictable and insert plenty of surprise into the story, giving us a pretty decent body count in cramped quarters-both on the mysterious vessel sitting on the bottom of the ocean waiting for rescue as well as the Betty Loo herself.
This was a fun read that kept me wondering how things would turn out from moment to moment, especially when the undead showed up and threw another wrench into the works for the crew just trying to survive each other as well as the constant array of mechanical problems the Betty Loo keeps having as she dives deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the ocean.
Z-Boat can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Z-Boat-Suzanne-Robb/dp/1467945749/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325460500&sr=1-1
Review of Z Magazine-the first magazine written by zombies for zombies
I was provided Z Magazine for review purposes and I was blown away by it. For anyone who is a fan of zombies, this is one of those items that goes into the collection and more than likely gets put in an airtight plastic bag so you can save it for years to come. The creators of this magazine, one of which is Eloise Knapp, who wrote the very entertaining 
The Undead Situation, did an incredible job. I typically try to avoid gushing when it comes to a review of zombie related material, but I can’t say that I have ever seen something quite like this. The magazine is full sized (a bit over 8 1/2″ by 11″) and every last bit of it, down to the advertisements and want ads (plus personals, etc) are zombie related. This is truly a magazine for the undead…and fans of the undead, with advice on how zombies can interact with the living in social situations, recipes to spice up that brain tartar, inspirational tales including how Z’s can be for Jesus, job suggestions for the undead, and a big spread on zombie models and fashion. The magazine is chock full of much more, and each page was a delight to check out.
My understanding is that Eloise Knapp is studying graphic design in college currently, and if this is what she has to show for her efforts thus far, she has a very prosperous career ahead of her, along with her writing talent taking her places as well.
You can get Z Magazine over at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Magazine-First-Written-Zombies/dp/B0062FUSRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324759690&sr=1-1
Review of Rebecca Besser’s “Undead Drive-Thru”
Undead Drive-Thru is a novella that tells the tale of Betty Jones, whose husband Sam comes stumbling home one night after having apparently been abducted and experimented on, or so it seems. Before she can even help him, he is dead on the floor. Moments later, he is back on his feet, lunging at her, possessed by the desire to feed on her flesh. Betty understands immediately what must be done…and no, it’s not what you think.
A year later and Betty, now known as Aunt-B, is opening up an old diner with the help of her nephew, John, two hired teenage girls, Ky and Colleen, and Jose, another young man. At the same time, Aunt-B and John are trying to keep a dark little secret from the hired help and the rest of the world. Because you see, Aunt-B couldn’t imagine being without Sam, even though he is dead, and she has plans of moving him from the basement of her house over to the basement of the diner before it’s up and running, so she can keep an eye on him during working hours. The problem is that Sam occasionally gets out of his prison, and his yearning for flesh tends to become a serious issue.
This was a fun little zombie story that I was able to read in a little over an hour. While brief, we get enough background on the characters that none of them felt wooden or artificial and the author even manages to give Sam a bit of a personality; a zombie that looks like it is smiling at you, which is a pretty disturbing proposition. I enjoyed this one, though I think John rubbed me the wrong way in more than one instance. While I get that he is trying to stay out of jail (he is on probation for theft, I believe) and as such blindly obeys his Aunt to keep in her good graces, I felt he was perhaps a bit spineless, which made it hard for me to feel any sympathy or empathy for him. But he, like the teenage girls and especially Aunt-B were quite vivid characters for such a short amount of “screen time” as it were. Overall, a creepy, entertaining tale that I could imagine translating into a movie or even an episode from Tales from the Crypt.
Undead Drive-Thru can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Undead-Drive-Thru-Rebecca-Besser/dp/1611990092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324756066&sr=1-1
Review of Eloise Knapp’s “The Undead Situation”
Cyrus V. Sinclair thinks he is a sociopath. And perhaps he is, though it is hard to be certain. What is for certain is that he is an overly confident loner who seems ideally built for the end of the world, at least in a situation where the dead rise and the living become fodder for them. He lives alone in his soundproofed and reinforced apartment in Seattle, and given his lack of interest in anyone except for his pet ferret Pickles and mentor, Frank, he is okay watching the world fall apart outside his window. He is not the man with the plan; he is the man with a lack of concern about his fate, or the fate of anyone else.
This story starts with him doing nothing for the most part except sitting back collecting rainwater and reading old copies of guns and ammo, though he does venture out to a corner store to grab, of all things, candy. Cyrus has a sweet tooth, and while he works hard to stay in shape, has stocked up on MREs, and has a small arsenal in his apartment, he has a penchant for sugary snacks that is extreme, and we are reminded of that on a regular basis in this story.
Things get shaken up in Cyrus’s world when Gabriella, or Gabe as he dubs her, shows up underneath his window, fleeing from a pack of the undead on the street below. Young and tough, she fascinates him enough with her false bravado that he lets her into his apartment, though it becomes clear quickly that he is none too fond of her or her attitude toward the world. Soon, after a few misadventures, the two of them decide to leave the apartment on a hunt to find Frank, Cyrus’s only human friend in the world. Through several more adventures with both the dead and living, the trio happen upon Blaze, a tough as nails ex-marine that fascinates Cyrus for her ruthless nature, which is also why she is also despised by Gabe, who still believes that the world, and the human race, is worth saving.
The story progresses with the objective of getting to Frank’s cabin in the woods-a hideaway built for survivalists that is far removed from the undead world that surrounds the quartet at every turn. Naturally, along the way they find numerous others trying their best to survive-from the desperate, to the crazed, to the innocent and weak. Through these experiences we get to know Cyrus and his compatriots, and what is revealed is often repellant-especially with Cyrus and Blaze. We are not dealing with heroes here, but people willing to do what it takes to survive, often by dismissing others who plead for their help.
I know that this story has gone through some changes since it was originally written as a self-published work and then became a Permuted offering, though I can’t say for sure what all the changes are-I had a chance to check this story out in its infancy (approximately the first third of it) and even offered up some feedback to the author. I have always felt that she had a compelling character in Cyrus V. Sinclair, though I questioned then, as I question now, as to what extent he is a sociopath. Granted, he seems to kill with ease during the apocalypse and does relate an early experience where he killed as a child, though in the telling of the tale it seems that Cyrus has convinced himself more of his homicidal nature than perhaps what actually occurred-we as readers of this first person chronicle have to take his word on how things went down. Or so it seems to me. Cyrus is rather boastful of his ability to remain impassive and lacking in any sort of human compassion and yet he can’t deny the bonds that form between him and the other members of his small company, including his pet, Pickles.
I think the author has done a excellent job in creating a despicable and yet very much human character that despises weakness and vulnerability while displaying it himself quite regularly. And when he contrasts himself with Blaze even he realizes that he is not nearly as tough and callous as this woman with a scar and a nasty streak a mile wide. Cyrus plays at being superior to all around him (except perhaps for Frank), but time after time he makes mistakes, nearly getting himself killed over and over again by the undead and the living. In these instances he typically requires someone else to save him, but brushes over it like it isn’t a big deal. I think it would have been fascinating to read this same story in third person, without the biased viewpoint of Cyrus clouding the picture of him. We see this dead world through his eyes, which is fascinating, but I also think it would be fascinating to see it from an outside perspective. I think much would be revealed about his true nature, and not just what he wants us to believe.
This is a unique story in the zombie genre. My tendency is to prefer works that are character driven like this one. The author has created a very intriguing character to examine and wonder about. On that level, the story is a winner. With that said, I feel it only fair to point out a couple of issues that I had with the telling of this tale. I really don’t feel the change in perspective to another character for a single chapter was necessary. It was like a hurdle that slowed down the tempo of the story and served as an unneeded disruption in my opinion. I feel that what was revealed could have remained a mystery that was slowly unveiled through Cyrus’s suspicious eyes, as needed. I also feel that what occurs in that particular chapter needed to be further elaborated upon (once again, through Cyrus’s eyes). It changes the course of the novel profoundly, and while more may be revealed in a sequel, I think more needed to be devoted to that storyline within this book.
Overall, this is a great first effort from Eloise Knapp. It takes guts to craft a main character that is, for the most part, a despicable human being and then craft another character that is, on many levels, even more despicable. It takes a certain level of skill to make readers grow fascinated with these two, as I did, while I am sure there will be some folks who just despise them and will leave it at that. I’m not sure that I could say I ever grew attached to Cyrus or Blaze and like them all that much, but I have to admit they are a pair of very interesting survivors that will likely draw me in for the sequel.
The Undead Situation can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Undead-Situation-Eloise-J-Knapp/dp/1934861588/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324743397&sr=1-1
Review of Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga’s “The Walking Dead Rise of the Governor”
The Walking Dead, Rise of the Governor, should be more aptly titled (as mentioned by several other reviewers): The Birth of the Governor. If this book has a sequel, it would tell of the actual rise of the Governor. In fact, I feel that given what this particular book is lacking, there would need to be a sequel to bridge the gap between what we have been introduced to with this story and what we see when Rick, Glenn, and Michonne stumble across Woodbury in the comic books.
While this story wasn’t quite what I expected, I had no issue with it as a stand alone tale in TWD universe. It is the story of a normal human being, doing his best to survive the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. In that regard, this story parallels TWD. We are introduced to a group of survivors: brothers Philip and Brian Blake, two of Philip’s friends-Bobby and Nick, and Philip’s young daughter, Penny. Philip is the leader of this small bad of survivors trying hard to cope in this new world. Bobby and Nick follow Philip’s lead, as they have always done in life before the apocalypse, which is usually a good thing, since he is willing to do what it takes to remain alive. The story covers their saga of survival as they travel across Georgia, from a wealthy subdivision outside Atlanta where they hide out for a time, to a barricaded apartment building inside the city that they share with other survivors, to their grim journeys out into the sticks, where they finally arrive at Woodbury, the town that the Governor rules with an iron fist in TWD comic books.
As I mentioned, I would be willing to read a sequel to this story; one that would further explain how the man who enters Woodbury near the end of this tale transforms into the man who can do such unthinkable and horrible things to other survivors in the comic books-especially to Michonne and Rick. But if this book, and the psychological transformation that occurs within its pages, is the only justification offered up as to why the Governor is the way he is by the writers of this novel, I just can’t buy it. There has to be more trauma put upon him to allow him to become such a casually evil and demonic creature. I firmly believe this. To elaborate further would reveal spoilers, which I’m unwilling to do. So again, my hope is that there is a plan to scribe another book…part 2, if you will, though I doubt that is the case.
Again, this book, as a standalone tale of survival during the zombie apocalypse, is entertaining. Present tense writing is not the norm, but it does speak of the immediacy of everything going on around the characters and keeps the energy level high, for the most part. I didn’t have a real issue with that. I did feel that the author could have toned down the descriptive verse a bit. He creates vivid images, but I often felt a bit overwhelmed by the details he would elaborate on, when simpler descriptives would have sufficed. That is a minor niggling detail though. My main concern with this story is that it only shares the beginning of the metamorphosis the man who turns into the Governor. There is a big chunk missing in the tale that goes from this story and ends when we come across the full blown Governor in TWD comic books. It is THAT tale, the middle portion of the man’s saga, that I really want to read.
The Walking Dead Rise of the Governor can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Dead-Rise-Governor/dp/0312547730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322941209&sr=8-1
