Zombie Book Reviews

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Permalink Reply by Scatoma on October 19, 2009 at 7:09pm

I wanted to start this out with a review of a great short story called
"The Naming of Parts" by Tim Lebbon

Anybody who knows me knows I love British horror. Simon Clark, Mark Morris, Tim Lebbon to name a few. Their stories have this way about them most American authors can't seem to grasp. This is a story about a young boy named Jack Haines who is walking across the English countryside with his parents escaping the walking dead to reach his sister. It is told from his young innocent point view. It is emotional and well written. Lebbon has this insane ability to write and make you understand points of view that should be impossible. No other way to explain it. Many of his stories involve dreams that seem to be total nonsense, but yet you know exactly what is happening the whole time.The Naming of Parts is a stand alone hard back novella(pictured above) and is also used in his comp called Fears Unnamed. I have both and they are the exact same story with no editing differences. The latter is much easier to get a hold of. Anybody else enjoy this story, or even Lebbon at all for that matter. I will be reviewing more of his work on here for sure.

Permalink Reply by Scatoma on October 21, 2009 at 2:12am

"Eden" by Tony Monchinski

To me this is a special zombie story. There are those stories that stick with you all day and you really and truly care about these fictional characters and their lives. The book starts with the main character receiving a bite right away. But he lives in a perfectly safe zone in Queens that is now called "Eden." So how did this happen. Somebody has set him up and he has to figure out who and then personally punish them before he himself dies. This book is brutal, brilliant, and extremely moving. There are permanent tear stains on some of the pages in my copy. The one I have is the self published version the author put out, but it has now been republished through the kick ass Permuted Press, and I have seen it in every Borders I have been to in the last 6 months. It seems like there is a considerable size difference in these two version from the minimal investigating I have done into this. I have been meaning to buy the PP version but I always grab something else and now I wish I hadn't. I love everything they put out so far, but if the book has been massively edited then it will greatly harm the story I believe. I don't know yet if this case though. The writing style used is genius and I love it. The best way to describe it is the time sequences are ordered like Reservoir Dogs or a season of Lost. You know what is gonna happen before it does and yet it flows beautifully, and it obviously really had a lasting effect on me. If anybody has the Permuted Press edition please tell us what you think of it.

Permalink Reply by Scatoma on October 21, 2009 at 11:34pm

"Patient Zero" by Johnathan Maberry

In preparation to write this I read up a little on Maberry. It was all exactly what I predicted just from reading this book. The story revolves around an ex Marine cop who can seriously beat some ass. When a "terrorist" ring decides to use zombies as their weapon of choice it takes Joe Ledger through intense and horrifying situations. It's hard to talk about cause I don't want to give away to much of the story. Let's just say it involves Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist groups, powerful pharmaceutical companies, and zombies. Luckily, and as I now know the writer is as well, the main character is well trained and has incredible hand to hand combat abilities. I really got into the fight scenes because the descriptions were so well done, and being a massive MMA fan i was sucked right in. This is apparently the first in a series of "Joe Ledger" novels to come, and although the next will not involve zombies I will still read it immediately once released. I will admit this is not a book for all komrads of this website, but if you are wanting something a little different in your zombie fiction then here it is. If you are into politics and conspiracy stuff then I bet you will enjoy this one. I very much look forward to future works by Maberry. He has another book out called " Zombie CSU" that I doubt i will review on here out of it being so complicated, so I will just say read it as well. That one will appeal to all komrads with out a doubt in my mind. It is beyond enlightening to this genre.

"Patient Zero" will make you want to start training in a whole new way for the zombie uprising that is to come!

Permalink Reply by Scatoma on October 23, 2009 at 3:02am

"Dying To Live" by Kim Paffenroth
http://gotld.blogspot.com/

Well here we have it. This is the first book in a series that is soon to be a classic zombie trilogy. I should preface this by saying I read Paffenroth's blog every single day so ya, I may be bias, suck it. I love this story. Professor Paffenroth is on a very different level than most if not all other horror authors in the aspect of his background and his day job. It makes such a beautiful difference when you are reading his work.
Graphic, brutal, and thought provoking all at the same time.
Jonah Caine is a dude who has been rolling through the zombie apocalypse on his own for while when he comes to a museum that has been fortified quite successfully against the dead and a community of sorts has arisen within. There are some kick ass moments that follow. Let me say that the prison scenes in the story are so messed up I can't believe this guy wrote this stuff. But he did and I for one am beyond grateful. Only a few zombie books have I read more than once and this is one of those. I was lucky enough to meet Kim at some stupid Horror thing in Dallas. This book I doubt will disappoint any of the komrads so run out to your nearest Borders and enjoy. Screw Barnes and Noble. They never have any of the Permuted Press stuff where I live.

Permalink Reply by Komrad Venessa Wicked☭ on June 5, 2010 at 3:26am

This is my FAVORITE book! Not only have I read it but me and my best friend have took turns reading it out loud page by page to each other (ZOMBIE STORYTIME!).

Permalink Reply by Scatoma on October 28, 2009 at 2:44pm

Here is a zombie novel that I seem to never see mentioned on the other forums I read regularly. It is the first in what is about to be another great zombie trilogy. This is what I call the zombie book for Alex Jones fans. Bowie Ibarra is a great writer who has based his story around Austin Tx, very close to my hometown. He uses a lot of what Jones talks and writes about in this story. Scary FEMA camps, crazy militants, collapsing corrupt goverment, all the fun stuff ya know. Anybody who is familar with Alex Jones will instantly get what I am saying and really should check this one out. It is also one of the first to use a specific point of view that I do not want to ruin, but have seen used several time since and not quite as well. There is a sequel available(that rules as well) and the third is on its way shortly I understand. Graphic violence, very odd sex scenes, and many throw backs to Mr. Jones make this one great zombie read. You will need to order this one. I will be floored if anybody finds this on a store shelf. Hope I am wrong though.

Permalink Reply by Bob Mares Photography on June 26, 2010 at 8:17pm

Even Max Brooks has some works in this book

Permalink Reply by Scatoma on June 27, 2010 at 7:51pm

Gotta get this one soon, been putting it off.