Let’s back up here for just a second. We don’t want our zombie fan cards revoked. We don’t have a problem with blood and guts. You can’t write a good zombie book without them. Too many writers use gore as a crutch. It’s so common when an author offers to send us their book for review, we’ve come to expect much gore and little content.

When author CJ Grant asked if we would like to review her new zombie themed book, she didn’t provide us with a lot of details. We were intrigued but expected the same old song and dance. Kit’s Rebellion was different from the very beginning.  

When this first crossed our desk, we were skeptical. It didn’t look like what we’re used to. We heard, “Isn’t this supposed to be a book about zombies?” more than once. The cover isn’t over the top. No guns. No blood. No zombies. No hazmat suits or flashy biohazard symbols. If you were casually browsing for a zombie novel, you’d likely walk right by this one on the bookshelf. If you did flip it over to read the back cover, you’d only see a couple references to zombies.

We opened the book up and read the first sentence, “I witnessed my first execution when I was six years old.” At that point we got it. This isn’t going to be a book about zombies. We were correct.

Unlike so many other undead themed books, the story here isn’t zombies. There are plenty of encounters with the walking dead; they just aren’t the central focus. The real story resides with the characters and their unique struggles. This is a book about humanity, relationships and survival. Above all, Grant pens a tale about the struggle to have the courage and conviction to stand up for what is right in the face of adversity. Kit’s Rebellion doesn’t even start where most of zombie tales start.

Kit’s Rebellion Plot Synopsis

It opens in April of 2043, long after the initial outbreak. As a reader you don’t learn much about the actual beginning. Instead you’re thrown into the lives of survivors many years after the outbreak.

Most of civilization is gone and the world has reverted to a more primitive time. What is left of humanity is scattered into groups of survivor camps. Necessities like food and supplies are limited. Ammunition is a precious commodity and most of the encounters with shamblers are handled via bow and arrow or knives when possible. When survivors aren’t fighting off flesh eating monsters they’re dealing with the unique challenges of this harsh world. At best they’re trying to coexist with themselves and other survivors. At worst they’re defending themselves against desperate and violent bands of raiders while surviving among the walking dead.

Our protagonist, Kit O’Brien , is a twenty year old who grew up as an orphan in one of these groups of survivors, Camp Kraft. A rising member of the militia, Kit is also one of the camp’s most skilled fighters.

A brutal form of mixed martial arts style fighting is now the main source of entertainment. These fights generally end up with bad bruises, broken bones and very sore bodies. Fighters are battered but they live to fight another day. That is, until the camp’s leader, Governor Garret Kraft, decides to up the ante and raise the stakes for his own amusement.

When Governor Kraft announces he’s going to be starting gladiator style matches where competitors fight to the death, people start to talk. While on a supply run Kit and other members of the militia discover a dark secret. To make matters worse, Garret throws some special and very dangerous surprises their way during gladiator matches. This coupled with witnessing a questionable execution or two causes Kit and other members of the militia to grow concerned about their leader.

As this book’s tagline says, sometimes loyalty means rebellion. Kit and the other members of the rebellion must choose loyalty to their camp’s leader or loyalty to one another and the greater good. As if juggling all of this isn’t enough, along the way Kit and the others must deal with the same things most of us worry about in normal life: friendship, relationships and the struggle to find ourselves and our place in the world.

Will Kit and the others decide to overthrow the governor? Will they find a way to lead their camp without losing all sense of right or wrong? How? You’ll have to read Kit’s Rebellion from CJ Grant to find out.

PROS:

• A unique angle on the zombie genre with enough familiarity to satisfy zombie fiction addicts. This one is good for die hard zombie fans or general fans of fiction.
• Relatable and well-developed characters.
• Zombies, gore and violence are the side dishes and not the main course here.
• The author doesn’t delve too deep into the main cause of the outbreak. As a reader you’re thrown into this new world and you deal with it as it happens. We enjoyed this and it made us more immersed in the story. This small touch made it feel like we were part of the story instead of an outsider looking in.
• Length of 305 pages is good.  Avid readers could consume this in a single sitting or over a light weekend. More casual readers will enjoy the book’s pacing and length.
• Grant concludes the story in a good place. There are no agonizing anxiety provoking cliff hangers here. She wraps things up nicely while leaving the option to continue the story wide open.

CONS:

• Some Zombie aficionados may find this one needs more undead gore.     
• There are a few moments involving mature situations. The author doesn’t go into vivid detail, but some adult language is used. Intercourse is used as a rite of passage and to repay debt in this new world. As a result, the topic is broached multiple times. This may be less than ideal for younger readers and unsettling to those easily offended. Most details are implied but we felt it is still worth nothing.

Conclusion:

With Kit’s Rebellion, author CJ Grant manages to tackle the zombie genre without telling the same old tired tale. That’s no easy task. Many undead dystopian novels use violence and gore to hide a barren manuscript devoid of personality. Grant takes the opposite approach. She creates an engaging plot told through relatable characters. Instead of relying on the obvious threats she focuses on the human side things. There’s still plenty of carnage along the way. Flesh craving monsters are components and not the main product.

If you removed zombies and replaced them with almost any other threat, this would still be a great read. If you’re looking for a unique zombie book (or just an excellent book in general) we highly recommend checking this one out.

The post Zombie Book Review: Kit’s Rebellion by CJ Grant appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

This is Colin M. Drysdale’s third installment in the For Those in Peril series. We’ve been lucky enough to review each book in the series and to this point we hadn’t been disappointed. When Mr. Drysdale and Pictish Beast Publications offered to send over a complimentary copy for review many months ago we happily agreed. So did the third book in this series live up to our expectations or does this one fall flat like so many other tertiary tales have in the past?

“The third is always the worst.” It may be a bit undeserved but the third offering in many popular series is often scorned. Whether you’re referring to a movie, video game or book, number three is often scoffed at and disregarded. We tried not to come into this review with any bias or preconceived notions. With that in mind, we have to admit this probably isn’t our favorite novel in the trio. That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy nearly every page, because we did. It’s sort of like declaring your least favorite pizza or your least favorite super-model.

The Island at the End of the World is penned with the lean, concise storytelling and clean editing we’ve grown to expect from Drysdale’s works. This book does a great job of tying together the stories from the first two novels. I know what you’re probably thinking and you’re wrong. You’ll find no lengthy chapters going over plot points you’ve read in past books. Yes. There is a refresher paragraph thrown in here and there to recap major points but only when necessary. There is no beating a dead horse here. Drysdale deftly weaves together the “For Those in Peril” series without using the need to rehashing old material as a crutch.  Many authors in the genre aren’t so adept at summarizing and it can often feel like you’re reading the same material twice.

Any concerns you might have about how well the stories work together should be laid to rest. The different characters and story arcs from the first two books seamlessly flow into this one. Nothing feels forced or out of place and it genuinely seems like Drysdale started out with a purpose way back in the beginning with “For Those in Peril on the Sea.”  The novels in this series do a great job of standing on their own. While starting out at the beginning might be the preferred method, you can easily pick up any of the three novels and jump into the series at any point without feeling lost.

Overall we really enjoyed this book. It does a great job of progressing characters and story development from the first two novels. (For those who aren’t familiar check out the links to our reviews of the first two books at the conclusion of our review.) For now, just know these books are essentially post-apocalyptic zombie survival at sea. Drysdale’s use of real world locations and the nautical theme persist here and it is a unique approach we truly appreciate.

The Island at the End of the World radiates a slower , calmer and more hopeful vibe compared to the first two books in this series. The main focus here is on rebuilding, learning to live as a survival community and retaining hope for the future of humanity. This slower pace allows the characters, and the reader, time to acknowledge emotional and social aspects of life the frantic survival pace didn’t allow up to this point. This does lead to some slow points in the storytelling but they are few and far between. There’s still plenty of infected killing, close calls and loss, albeit to a lesser degree. This one doesn’t feel like a big ball of tension and anticipation building to a major final conflict at the conclusion. If that is something you need as a reader you may be disappointed. Instead conflict and tension ebbs and flows throughout until the open ended conclusion where I was left a bit sad, satisfied and hopeful for the future.

We won’t be summarizing any major plot points this time so no worries about spoilers! What we will do is run down a list of what we like, and didn’t like, so much about this book.

PROS:

• Easy to Read:     Mr. Drysdale and his editing team always turn out a finely polished and easy to read finished product. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes and the like are virtually non-existent. That’s not all that common in the zombie or post-apocalyptic fiction genre. We receive many books that could be run past an editor another two or three times.

• Seamless Storytelling:     This third installment does a great job of tying together the first two novels. He briefly touches on key points from the first two novels when necessary but he does it briefly without boring fans of the series.

• Can Be Read and Enjoyed On Its Own:     While we definitely recommend reading the first two books in this series, you can easily read this one on its own. Reading the first two isn’t necessary but it will definitely enhance your appreciation of characters and certain plot points. You could easily pick up this book and then go back and read the first two if you chose to work backwards.

• Appropriate Length:     Our review copy came in just under 300 pages. This falls right in our personal sweet spot. It isn’t too long and it feels just long enough. You could easily bang this out in an afternoon if you like to binge read. On the other hand if you can only squeeze in 10 pages at a time it won’t take you months to get through.

• The Ending:     This one leaves us with a soft conclusion. There’s no anxiety inducing cliff hanger that leaves you wanting to tear your hair out. There’s a bit of disappointment, uncertainty and loss at the end but it is balanced with acceptance, serenity and hope. The story doesn’t end up fully resolved but as we turned the last page we were left with an strange feeling of calm satisfaction. There is definitely more story waiting to be told but Drysdale could easily walk away from the series at this point without leaving fans disappointed. In our humble (and worthless) opinion Drysdale made a great decision with the conclusion of The Island at the End of The World.  If he continues the series that would be fantastic. If he doesn’t, he leaves the reader in a position where they can feel satisfied and where they can imagine what happens to the characters in the future.

CONS:

• The Cover:     Don’t judge a book by its cover. Mr. Drysdale’s covers are often simple and without gaudy flair. This is actually one of our favorite covers in the series but if you’re a fan of showy covers that the story never lives up to, you’ll be disappointed.

• A Bit Slow at Times:     This book is a bit slower and more deliberate than others in the series. It’s partly out of necessity.  This story is more about humans coming together and learning how to survive. There’s a lot of planning and rebuilding which not everyone will appreciate. There seemed to be less conflict and violence in this installment which makes sense. There’s still plenty of shooting, head bashing and tension but it all seems to be fewer and further between compared to the first two novels. That being said, the author seems to balance the story well. Just as you feel things may be starting to stall a bit he revs up the plot with some conflict on a supply run for fuel or some other run-in with the infected.

CONCLUSION AND RATING:

4 Out of 5 Brains

Get your copy here:

Experience the rest of the For Those in Peril series and other books by Colin M. Drysdale:

Read our review of For Those in Peril on the Sea. (Book #1)

Read our review of The Outbreak (Book #2)

 Disclaimer: The author or publisher provided us with a review copy of this book in exchange for our honest and unbiased review.

The post Zombie Book Review: The Island at the End of the World by Colin M. Drysdale appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

The Zee Brothers: Zombie Exterminators: Curse of the Zombie Omelet (Volume 1) Book Review

We’re always happy to check out new additions to the zombie fiction genre. The problem is, some of them start to sound like the same old story over and over again. So much so that we’ve been turning down many zombie book review requests in the past couple years. It may sound crass. It may sound like we’re turning into zombie hipsters. The truth is we are tired of reading the same repackaged and retitled zombie fiction over and over again from different authors.  Fortunately author Grivante helps break the undead monotony with the first book in The Zee Brothers: Zombie Exterminators series.

Every so often we’re contacted with a synopsis of a zombie novel that sounds like something so different and so fun we can’t pass it up. Such was the case with The Zee Brothers: Zombie Exterminators: Curse of the Zombie Omelet (Volume 1). With a title like that who could resist? If the title doesn’t immediately get your attention let’s glance at some highlights.

• A quiet suburb built over an ancient Indian burial ground becomes the source for an undead zombie outbreak

• A temperamental 1950’s Chevy pickup that needs some transmission help.

• A magic 8-Ball shift knob that seems to predict the future. It can also please the ladies . . . but that’s a different review for a different day.

• A hot redhead female protagonist with a pink revolver

• A pair of zombie exterminating brothers, one of which appears a bit less capable than his sibling.

• A toothless tied up pet zombie/former client

• A puppy named Xanadu that displays magical powers when you fling him into the air and scream his name. Oh yeah (spoiler alert) he also poops diamonds.

The novel’s text is so concise we feel like we’d be giving away too much if we delved too deep within the plot. Glance at the plot summary on Amazon and you’ll have everything you need to recognize this for the fun and unique zombie book it is:

“This is the first story featuring the Zee Brother’s in which they meet the love of their lives, JJ and her magical puppy, Xanadu. They uncover the secrets of an ancient indian curse involving a zombie omelet, wait, amulet. They fail to rescue their first client of the day and end up keeping him as a pet instead.

All of this takes place in the small gated community of Winter Oaks, AZ, built atop the tribal burial ground of the Pakatini Tribe and right next to the county dump. Awakened when the obnoxious president of the home owners association disturbs an ancient artifact, the zombies return from their graves to reclaim their amulet.

Arriving in their extermination truck loaded with weapons and their strangely premonitory Magic 8-ball shifter, the brothers quickly get to work. Bodies and brains explode as they seek the answers to end the ancient zombie curse before it leads to a full on Zombie Apocalypse.

Before it is over, Jonah, Judas & JJ teach us about Zombie Bondage, Zombie Dental Hygiene & The Wonders of Orgasms and Chocolate, all while surviving being the target of an ever growing number of newly awakened undead.

Aided by JJ’s mysterious dog, the brother’s manage to get the amulet, but not before Jonah is marked for death by the Pakatini’s High Priest. It is going to take more than their really big gun, that they affectionately refer to as DeeDee, to get them out of this one.

Filled with nods to zombie pop culture, this book will keep you entertained and leave you smiling.”

Our Review:

Overall we loved the first installment of the Zee Brothers series. It was a blast to read and we genuinely hope the author delivers more in the future.  Although the book is on the short side, we can’t say that’s all bad. There are times when reading 800 pages of convoluted plot twists and sub plots gets more than a little annoying. It was nice to read this book over a few thirty minute sessions. Thanks to the author’s concise, linear storytelling we were able to pick this up after a few days without reading and immediately remember where we were in the story.

We loved the balance of humor, suspense and gore. There is a sparse spattering of sexuality but it is done without going too far like so many horror authors seem to do. You could easily toss this to a teenager and not be a horrible parent for letting them read it.

That being said, we can’t help but feel like there was room for a bit more turmoil in the plot. Although the zombie exterminating brothers, JJ and her puppy do encounter plenty of issues along the way, it almost seems like rectifying the situation was too easy for them. Then again this is just the first volume and the author left plenty of room for growth in the future. Another 50 to 100 pages would have been nice.

Do we recommend it? Yes! If you can pick up the color illustrated version for around $10 to $15 it’s worth it. Otherwise the non-illustrated or kindle versions are probably your best value.  Regardless of which format you prefer, we highly recommend checking this one out. If you enjoy a quick read this one is sure to please. If you’re someone who needs hundreds and hundreds of pages of character development and a slow, methodical built to a plot climax you might be left feeling cheated. This one doesn’t beat around the bush and gets straight to the point, which we actually found refreshing in a way.

PROS:

• A quick read of right around 100 pages. (Our color illustrated review copy contained 103 pages of story text).
• The action starts quickly and hooks you in from the start.
• The subtle pop zombie culture references included are a nice touch for real fans of the genre.
• Just enough of a twist on the zombie genre to make things interesting.
• The author’s linear writing style takes you through the story in a non-distracting style.
• There a few illustrations throughout the text that help bring the story to life for the reader.
• A good balance of gore, humor, and suspense with a dash of sexual tension sprinkled in.
• Large easy to read text
• Cover art, cover and paper stock are all good quality

CONS:

• A bit too short. While the shorter length is nice, I can’t help but feel there could have been more meat to the story. It feels like the characters should have had a bit more conflict along the way.
• What’s the deal with Toothless Larry? I felt like this tied up pet zombie was going to end up being a much more important part of the story than he ended up being.
• Pricing fluctuates and that is one of the reasons we avoid placing too much emphasis on it in a review. I do feel cost is worth mentioning for the version we reviewed. The paperback color illustrated edition of this book is currently priced at $24.99 on Amazon. Yikes. Even with free 2 day factored in that seems a bit pricey for a 100 page zombie novel that can be read in a single sitting of a couple hours. We’ve seen this priced at $15 to $20 previously and in our opinion that’s a bit more realistic. The good news is you don’t need to pony up for the beautiful color illustrated version if you don’t want to.  A non-illustrated version with a white cover Is available; at the time of this review it is priced under $10. Kindle and audio book versions are available for even less if you prefer those formats.

Final Verdict:

We give this one a 4 out of 5 and we can’t wait to read future additions to the series. You know the deal. The truth is our opinion really doesn’t mean squat. Go check it out for yourself and let us know what you think in the comment section below!

Where to Buy:

Grab your copy at Amazon.com and be sure to visit www.thezeebrothers.com for merchandise and more information.

The post The Zee Brothers: Zombie Exterminators Curse of the Zombie Omelet Book Review appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

Zombie Book Review

The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1: Awakening by J.D. Demers

We read a lot of zombie books and J.D. Demer’s take on the zombie genre is right up there with our favorites.  While it isn’t perfect, it does provide a refreshing twist in a category of fiction that sometimes seems as stale and dead as the zeds themselves.

The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1 Awakening is presented in a unique journal style.  The presentation isn’t all that original and it has been done many times in zombie fiction, but Demer does it better than most.  Each chapter starts with a section title and a date.  The main events in the book are sandwiched between a short prologue and a concluding epilogue. We’ll get to more on that later.  For now it’s enough to say the prologue and epilogue hint at Christian being stuck in a grim situation over a year after the main events described in this novel. It may sound confusing but it really isn’t. Trust me when I say J.D.’s writing style suits this manner of presentation very well.  Everything flows along nicely and the dates and timelines are a guideline that assist you rather than being a distraction as is so common in other works of zombie fiction. You can easily read this book without needing to dwell on dates.  Time doesn’t jump forward and back like it may in other books.

This zombie novel tells the story of a hero that isn’t so much of a hero most of the time.  Our zombie slaying protagonist, Christian Hunt, is an ex Army man but he’s not the hardened soldier you might expect. Christian was a supply clerk that didn’t see much first hand battle.  He’s really a bit of newbie when it comes to survival and killing.  The awkward main character is one of the reasons I enjoyed this book.

Christian makes mistakes. He hesitates. He’s scared at times. Not every shot he takes is a head shot. He misses. Sometimes he makes the same mistakes again. He’s willing to learn and has the heart to continue on.  Overall he’s believable and that’s why I enjoy his character. Of course it’s difficult to survive on your own when you don’t have a very good survival skill set.  Christian could use some help and he gets it from some pretty cool characters.  No zombie book would be complete without a cold, calculating, zombie-killing bada** that has ice water flowing through his veins. This book gives you just that with a character nicknamed, “Fish.”

Fish is an ex military sniper that saw a ton of action in Afghanistan. He knows how to efficiently kill when the situation calls for it and he does it without hesitation or much remorse. Basically he’s the polar opposite of Christian Hunt and it creates a mild amount of tension and a great story in itself.

Along the way Christian Hunt also scores perhaps his most valuable asset of all, “Boomer”,  a German Sheppard with police dog genetics. After rescuing this canine it hangs around and Christian soon learns it has the ability to sense the dead long before he does. “Boomer” saves Christian’s neck many times.

Watching Christian progress from a naive and hesitant fool to a perfectly capable survivor in a short amount of time is what makes this such a great read.  When the book ends Christian is still far from perfect but you can definitely see the progression of his character and it is one of the highlights of the story.

I don’t want to reveal many plot spoilers since I feel this is a book worth your time. We’ll cover the basics here and let you read for yourself to fill in major plot action.  As I mentioned previously, the story begins with a short 4 or 5 page prologue that provides some basic background information on the main character. We learn Christian is holed up in a two story office building surrounded by about a thousand zombies.  It’s over a year after the outbreak started and over a year after the events that are described in this novel.  We have no idea how Christian got himself in this situation and at the end of the book you still won’t know.  It’s a bit frustrating but definitely leaves you very interested in reading future installments in this series.

The main events in the novel are basically a journal accounting of Christian’s experiences in the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. It describes both Christian’s literal and figurative awakening to the world that lays before him and probably to the same extent an awakening to his own self, his immunity and his ability to survive. Through a relatively short amount of time (the dates span from March 19th through April 22nd) we see how the zombie plague likely started, how Christian survived the initial events, how he came to believe he’s immune and how he worked with others to survive.  We get to see Christian progress from a scared and tentative loner with just enough survive instinct to keep himself alive to part of a duo. From there he becomes part of a larger group that unexpectedly needs to relocate their base due to an attack.  The main events and the concluding epilogue leave the reader with a mild double cliff hanger. It’s a bit frustrating but it’s well done and definitely leaves you eager for the next book in the series.

At the conclusion of the book we know where the group is heading but we’re left wondering whether they’ll make it there and if things will work out even if they do.  We’re also left wondering what’s troubling a normally unshakable Fish.  After an epic final battle with a special type of zombie known as a “Scab” something clearly has Fish distracted and off his game. It could be the harshness of the final battle with the undead, but it’s unlikely this hardened vet would let a little undead bashing shake him up.  I have a feeling I might know what it is, but I’ll have to wait for a future book to know whether I’m right.  As the book wraps up we come back to the realization that Christian is possibly writing his final thoughts on paper as he’s alone and surrounded by the undead. He’s cornered over a year later than the events that transpire in Volume 1: Awakening. What’s happened in the past year? Did Fish, Boomer and the others become Zombie food? How did Christian get himself in this situation and will he get out? We’ll have to bide our time until the story continues and I can’t wait to find out!

What We Loved

• A very well written book with little to no grammatical or typographical errors. (That’s not so common in the world of zombie fiction)
• The chronological journal style presentation of the main plot is done well and not distracting.
• The prologue and epilogue create even more drama and cliff hanger tension.
• Contains just the right amount of violence and gore without being overly gratuitous.
• The zombies have a unique twist without being so unique it will anger purists.
• Special Zombies called “Scabs” add a new level of terror and suspense without being too much.
• The main character is real and believable.
• The military jargon is clearly explained for non-military minded readers which isn’t always the case.
• We love the addition of the dog to the story. As a reader you find yourself keeping your fingers crossed that Boomer doesn’t become zombie chow.
• The author doesn’t need to resort to sexual content like so many author post apocalyptic authors feel the need to do.
• The book concludes with just enough of a resolution that the reader doesn’t feel cheated but it also leaves plenty unresolved for future installments.

Meh. What We Didn’t Love So Much:

The end is a bit frustrating. An author definitely wants to keep you on the edge of your seat as they prepare you for the next book in their series and I understand that. As a reader I can’t help but feel I’d like a few more loose ends tied up while I wait for the next book.

Final Verdict:

4.25/5.0

The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1 Awakening is one of our favorite zombie novels to date. While it isn’t perfect, we did put it down without thinking “I’ve read this before.” That’s something we can’t say often. Awakening has just enough of a unique twist to the zombie genre to make it seem unique without offending zombie purists. Overall it’s a great book we definitely recommend reading!

NOTES:

We received an early copy of this book and the cover art has been changed.  You can see the new cover art and purchase The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1: Awakening below.

The post Zombie Book Review – The Hunt Chronicles Volume 1: Awakening by J.D. Demers appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

We receive a lot of zombie products for review. Many of them are just so-so, but every so often our trusty postal carrier delivers one so cool that we can’t wait to share  our initial thoughts with all of you. That very scenario played out today when we received our copy of Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema by Jamie Russell straight from the publisher. We’ll be doing a full review in the near future, but here are our initial thoughts:

• Substantial Amount of Information Packed in 376 pages
• Suggested Retail Price of $24.95 is Much Cheaper Than We Anticipated. (Given the size we’d normally expect a $30-$40 price tag.)
• Seems like a good balance of background information on the zombie film genre and zombie movie listings
• Approximately 137 pages of zombie film listings and summaries alone!
• Short, concise reviews and summaries.
• Covers zombie films from blockbuster major motion pictures to the obscure and  horribly bad  Z movies.
• Over 300 new zombie movies are listed in this updated volume.

This hit our desk and when we saw the size we couldn’t help but flip through it quickly and snap some photos. Our initial impression of Book of the Dead is this is a high quality zombie movie encyclopedia worthy of a spot on any zombie lover’s bookshelf. Look for a full detailed review here on our blog in the very near future.

 Buy Your Own Copy Today!

The post Sneak Peek: Upcoming Zombie Book Review – Book of the Dead The Complete History of Zombie Cinema appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

The Outbreak introduces a new set of characters and provides a stunning first person accounting of what it is like to watch a city become overrun by a zombie infection. Watching the resulting turmoil is as frightening as it is entertaining.

This zombie novel follows the story of Ben, the seasoned captain of a whale watching vessel. Much of the harrowing tale takes place his forty-five foot sailboat, but there is plenty of terrifying land travel along the way.  Before the real story begins Drysdale lays out a little background via a prologue.

Yes. This book begins with the often abhorred prologue. I, like many readers, often feel the urge to skip prologues. Fortunately this is one of the rare situations where a prologue works extremly well. The content contained within it would have seemed orphaned as a chapter of its own. Forcing the material into the existing first chapter would have made for awkward reading.   As much as I hate to admit it, a prologue was the perfect solution here. The author doesn’t waste any time with it and manages to weave a wealth of vital information into a relatively short amount of space.

Within his eleven page prologue Drysdale manages to educate the reader on the origins of the mutated rabies virus and how the outbreak itself started. Just as important, readers also learn how serious the situation is and how bleak the future looks when they observe a heated discussion between the Prime Minister and his top General. Heading into the first chapter the reader knows Miami has been overrun and the United Kingdom is fully aware they’ll likely be overtaken soon. The military is prepared to seal all off all borders and to do the unthinkable if people attempt to get in or out. Simply put: It’s on!

The initial few pages of Chapter 1 introduces two main characters: Ben and Tom. Tom and Ben are good friends that met shortly after Ben graduated from college with a degree in marine biology. Tom is a street performer who helped Ben earn some money after college by turning his hobby of juggling into a job as a street entertainer.  After a couple years juggling for money Ben decides he should put his degree to use and takes a job out of town as an expert for a whale watching company. He discovers he’s found his purpose in life and works to build enough experience to open his own company.

As his own boss, Ben enjoys splitting his year up into two parts. He spends his summer months showing tourists on the west coast of Scotland whales and other local sea and wildlife. He does much the same around the Canary Islands in the winter. Every spring and autumn Ben stops in Glasgow to meet visit Tom. Little does he know his last visit will go very wrong. All hell breaks loose and Ben quickly discovers the viral outbreak has reached Glasgow.

It is very apparent early on; Drysdale doesn’t intend to dawdle. Within the first 20 pages of this novel, Tom and Ben are running for their lives. They quickly determine they need to get off of land and back to Ben’s yacht if they have any hope of surviving. In the process they pick up a variety of other survivors. Some examples include a waitress, a young man named Daz and a Doctor Claire and her two children: Jake and Sophie.

The remainder of the story follows the group of survivors as they attempt to find a safe haven. They desperately search for a location that is remote enough to be untouched by the virus. On their journey they battle a variety of foes including the infected, fellow survivors, the military and mother nature. The tale concludes with a rather open and unresolved ending sure to leave readers hungry for a future novel in the series.

What’s Great:

This one Made Us Eat Our Words:   The author’s writing continues to mature and improve with each his successive works we review. In The Outbreak Drysdale has eliminated nearly every complaint we had with the first book in this series.

Drysdale’s Writing is Lean and Efficient:   There’s nothing but clean, lean and easy to ready storytelling here. There is no fluff or fill and every word seems written with purpose.

Simple and Engaging Plot:   Many zombie novels we review just try to do too much at once. Attempting to follow five subplots and ten different characters can be exhausting and distracting. Reading should be an escape, not a chore.  Fortunately The Outbreak gave us just what we love with just the right amount of plot twists and surprises to keep us guessing.

Ideal Length:   Sometimes we just aren’t in the mood for a 800 or 1,000 page novel, especially when a third of it is pointless fill. Our review copy of The Outbreak came in at 347 pages which we found ideal. If you’re a quick reader with free time don’t be surprised if you blow through this one in a day or two, it really is that good!

Feverish Pace:  Drysdale pulls no punches and advances The Outbreak at a blistering speed. Impatient readers will definitely approve of this one.

The Return of The Clingers:  We like the concept of the infected lacking the ability and coordination to swim. The safety of the water is offset by the fact that the infected are smart enough to cling to debris floating in the water. First seen in, For Those In Peril On The Sea, These silent killers return in this novel. They float around waiting to climb aboard and feast at the most inopportune time for the crew.

Believable Characters:  The characters are incredibly real and believable. Absent are the superheroes or unbelievably skilled survivors that plague other books in the genre. Ben, Tom, Claire and the others are initially awkward and scared.  They don’t kill with ease and the violence and ruthlessness of their new world seems to wears on them. They all come from different walks of life and each character struggles to cope while growing into their new roles. Watching Claire, Ben, Daz and Sophie mature along the way was incredibly entertaining. The authenticity of the characters leads the reader to become emotionally engaged with each and every one.

Even the military presence in this book is realistic. They’re prepared to follow orders until the end and they do so. Sometimes the military is called upon to make tough decisions to protect the overall good.

The apocalypse isn’t pretty. Sometimes surviving humans present more danger than the infected. The author throws in just enough human conflict and from non-infected to keep things genuine.

No Character is Safe: While there are many moments where characters manage to cheat death, the fact that no one is safe is continually driven home. Just when you think a main character is going to be untouchable for the duration of the novel, they are brutally taken out.

The Ending:   The Outbreak’s conclusion left us feeling both cheated and craving more. We felt cheated because we selfishly wanted all the loose ends tied up. Instead, the story reaches just enough of a resolution to let you know where the characters stand in the present moment. It also leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat wondering what their fate will be in the near future. You’ll be left praying Mr. Drysdale continues the series.

MEH. (What’s Not So Great):

We strive to bring you open and honest reviews. This means we have to point out things we weren’t so fond of. Fortunately this was a very tough job with this book. Our complaints ended up being a list of very minor nitpicking. Here are some areas where The Outbreak rubbed us the wrong way.

Not The Most Original Title:  While The Outbreak does give you a great idea what the book is about, the title seems a little boring. The vanilla title doesn’t just doesn’t seem worthy of the great story it is perched upon.

The Cover Could Be Better:   We’ve bashed Drysdale for his cover art in the past. It’s never personal, but we’re always left thinking his stories deserve amazing covers that equal the quality of his writing.  Things are improving, but we’re still slightly disappointed to see a less than perfect cover on a story that is nearly perfectly written.

This time around, we’re not complaining too much about the cover art.  We will waste a few minutes of our time whining about the quality and durability of said cover. The paperback cover on our review copy of The Outbreak just didn’t have a hope of surviving our clumsy ham-fisted ways. The cover creased and curled far too easily. Worse yet the matte finish lamination easily scratched and began peeling away slightly in spots at the corners. We’re not sure a high quality durable cover would be worth the additional expense it would cost the author or readers; we’re simply making an observation. If you don’t mind your books looking well used when you’re done with them, have no fear.

UK/British Specific References:   We’re always slightly annoyed by the differences between U.S. and UK/British spelling of words. Thinks like “organize” vs. “organise” and “color” vs. “colour” aren’t too distracting, but they do tend to stick out to American readers.

Our biggest complaint was the frequent appearance of the word, “leant”. We don’t really use the word often here in the U.S., so it always felt  a little harsh and awkward when read. We “lean” or “leaned” on something, not “leant”.

Another complaint in this area was a few references to something called Balamory. At one point the characters mention an area being the setting for Balamory.  As an American I was pretty clueless just what it was. I was smart enough to guess it was likely a children’s television program but my curiosity forced me to stop reading and Google it.  Balmory was indeed a children’s Scottish/British Television show that aired from around 2002 to 2005. We’re not self centered or arrogant Americans here so we didn’t let these minor details sully our review. We just thought these minor annoyances were significant enough for us to mention.

If all of this sounds like captious grumbling we’d be inclined to agree with you. Truth be told, there really isn’t much to dislike this time around!

The Final Verdict:

4.75 out of 5 Stars (Brains)

Drysdale has vaporized every minor complaint we had with his first narrative in this series. The Outbreak is an engaging and highly entertaining novel in a series that continues to breathe original new life into the sometimes stale and saturated undead genre.
 
We can’t wait to follow this series as it continues to unfold; the wait between books is almost as agonizing as the chasm between seasons of The Walking Dead.

 Disclaimer: The author or publisher provided us with a review copy of this book in exchange for our honest and unbiased review.

The post Zombie Book Review: The Outbreak by Colin M. Drysdale appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

Zombie Book Review: ZombieGift.com Review of Coldbrook

We love zombie books and we receive a lot of requests to review them.  While  that sounds great on paper, the problem is many zombie themed novels are the same old recycled story.  At a certain point it all becomes the same tired tale retold with different characters. Many zombie authors work so hard on penning gore and horror they lose sight of the big picture and fail to find a way to make their story unique and distinctive.  It’s understandable.  With so many zombie themed books flooding the market, standing out from the crowd is no easy task.  Finding a unique approach to the zombie genre can sometimes seem more difficult than surviving an actual zombie apocalypse.  Fortunately there are always exceptions to the rule. Take, for example, Tim Lebbon’s zombie novel Coldbrook.

When Titan Books emailed us with a plot synopsis of Tim Lebbon’s Coldbrook and offered to send us a review copy in exchange for our honest opinion we just couldn’t say no.  It sounded like it had some distinctive qualities to separate it from the rest of the horde. Boy were we right! Coldbrook is a horror, zombie and science fiction mash-up that leaves you hungry for more.

The book takes its title from the name of the secret laboratory where many events of the story take place. Hidden deep within the Appalachian Mountains, Coldbrook is a facility where scientist may have bitten off a little more than they were prepared to chew.  I know what you’re thinking; let’s get things clear from the start. This is not your typical experimental virus mutation and release plot.

Coldbrook Plot Synopsis: (May contain some minor plot spoilers)

The root of the outbreak in Lebbon’s unique zombie tale  isn’t an experimental virus at all. That would be far too easy. The author packs much more into this undead masterpiece. There are many more layers to the Coldbrook plot. Coldbrook scientists do accidentally unleash  something upon the earth and their mistakes end up being much worse than releasing a simple virus.  Instead they create a portal that allows a plague to be unleashed from an alternate world.  It’s a twist that many zombie readers haven’t seen before.

Coldbrook scientists have created a gateway to a new world; a portal to an alternate universe if you will. Things start out nice enough, but like many secret laboratories things end up going very wrong. The problem with portals and windows is they offer movement in two directions. Things can enter and exit. Coldbrook took precautions against unwanted and unknown species entering our world. A trusty “eradicator” was built to kill and contain any living thing that attempts to come through the gateway. It’s unfortunate someone didn’t consider how the eradicator would work should something undead decide to shamble through the gateway from another world. Then again, who could possibly have known a group of mysterious unknown entities would deliberately unleash an infection and send hordes of zombies (or “furies” as they’re often referred to in this book) out to destroy every other alternate world.

That’s the crux of the story, a portal to another world unleashes a plague of infected zombies into our world. That’s bad enough. Fortunately Coldbrook was designed to lock down and contain any such disasters. Problem solved right? Not so fast.  Instead of being contained to the secure underground secret laboratory, a scientist decides to flee the facility in the heat of the moment to be with his family. Upon making his escape to the surface he also leaves a path for the contagion and the infected furies to find their way out.  That’s unfortunate because this infection spreads fast and creates that zombies really only have one central motivating factor: to bite and infect as many people as fast as they can.

As with many zombie stories, there may be a cure and that cure lies with one woman with a mysterious disease and a genetic immunity to the infection that quickly spreads to pandemic proportions.  Someone just needs to find her and escort her to a facility that knows what to do with her and a sample of her blood.

If that plot sounds a little too straight forward, sparse and vaguely familiar you’ll be glad to hear it is only the tip of the cold, dead iceberg.  Coldbrook is chock full of subplots and character development to keep you bouncing around. You’ll definitely find at least one character you’ll latch on to.

One of the first characters we meet is Jonah, the head of Coldbrook.  At seventy six years old Jonah’s health is failing but his mind is still sharp.  He continues to struggle with the loss of his wife years ago but his sorrow and grief are balanced with an admiration and curiosity for exploring the wondrous possibilities the breach might offer.  Jonah becomes trapped by himself within the facility’s secondary area and must struggle to find a way to attempt to save himself, his surviving colleagues and maybe the world.

Another character, Vic Pearson, is the source for an additional story arc or two. Vic has a wife and family. Unfortunately he also has a former girlfriend and mistress in his Coldbrook coworker, Holly.  Vic broke off his affair with Holly when he found out his wife, Lucy, was pregnant.  Although that decision doesn’t quite make Vic a noble man, it does speak to the core of Vic’s character.  We learn early on he is a man that struggles between right and wrong.  Although he may not always make the right decision he is a man that wants to do the right thing deep down inside.  In fact we see Vic struggle to make the right decision when the Science Fiction and Zombie stuff hits the fan in Coldbrook.

Although he still loves Holly, Vic flees Coldbrook just as the facility is being overrun by the furies.  He abandons his fellow co-workers in a desperate attempt to get to his family.  He manages to climb out a ventilation duct maintenance shaft to the surface. In the process Vic leaves an escape path for the infected zombies to exit the sealed and secured Coldbrook.  Poor Vic can’t seem to do anything right!  By choosing to run to his family and get them out of town, Vic ends up doing even more damage. He later realizes this and does what he can to right the wrong.

Holly is another source for fast paced and nail biting subplot action. When faced with a Coldbrook facility overrun with zombies, Holly decides to take her chances. She flees through the breach itself and into the alternate universe she’s only watched from the safety of the other side.  Once on the other side she quickly discovers there is much more to this new world and soon discovers the truth behind what lies beyond the breach.

As if all that wasn’t enough to follow, we’re introduced to yet another major character and subplot about 80 pages in.  Jayne Woodham is a 22 year old young woman with a rare and debilitating disease that causes extreme muscle pain and paralysis. The only thing that seems to help or offer any relief are daily and prolonged deep tissue muscle massage sessions.  Thankfully her better half, Tommy, is there to faithfully help massage her back to life each and every morning. Unfortunately he can’t do much to help with her fainting spells and blackouts. It turns out Jayne is immune to the zombie infection that has afflicted the world. Someone just has to safely escort her through the zombie apocalypse and to a facility that can actually help.

Still not enough action? You’ll definitely want to learn about what the heck the Inquisitors are and just how the infected zombies came to be. It’s a pretty interesting twist few readers will see coming.

I know what you’re thinking but no worries. Believe it or not, all of these stories end up intertwining to create one fantastic zombie fiction tale by the time you’ve turned the last page.

Does Jayne end up being the source for a cure or is there another potential cure already being explored in an alternate universe?  How does Jonah end up being forced into making the ultimate sacrifice to hopefully end the spread of the plague once and for all? How do all these separate stories end up meshing as one by the end of the novel? Is there any hope for humanity? You’ll have to read Coldbrook to find out! Rest assured some questions will be answered and many more raised.

This zombie book culminates with an abrupt cliff hanger of an ending that leaves you somewhat satisfied but very eager for a sequel to answer all your burning questions.

If you love zombies, horror, or the Science Fiction genre you’re sure to enjoy Lebbon’s Coldbrook.  If you happen to like all three fiction genres you’ll definitely have a hard time putting this one down.

What’s Great:

A Unique Approach To The Zombie Genre:  Tim Lebbon doesn’t take the easy way out with the same old mutated rabies virus release plot and we appreciate the extra effort.

Believable Characters and Character Development:   Readers will no doubt find themselves rooting for many of the characters in this zombie novel.  It’s hard not to find someonone to identify with or to become invested in.  The characters are flawed, human and act in generally believable ways. Tiny bits of believability like these work well to balance the fantastic fantasy of zombie assassins being unleashed from the multiverse.

Lebbon Doesn’t Waste Much Time:   One of the qualities we admired about Lebbon’s Coldbrook is he didn’t waste much time getting started.  Within the first 30 or so pages Lebbon quickly and effectively builds the back story and arms the reader with an understanding of Coldbrook and what the main characters are about.  Around 40 pages in the first zombie strolls through the breach and the real gore and action begin.

Changing Point of View and Character Bouncing Help Build The Story:  Coldbrook is a long book following the story of several key characters. Changing point of view and bouncing to another character’s story is necessary. While this practice is a necessary evil it is often poorly done and even abused by many authors. That probably explains why the practice annoys many readers.

Fortunately we found this wasn’t the case with Coldbrook.  Lebbon actually does a great job in this area. He carefully shifts point of views at just the right point to both build tension and progress the story naturally. The novel is told from a third person multiple point of view perspective that flows about as seamlessly as any seasoned veteran author could hope for.

The Ending We Loved to Hate: “Ugh.” That’s the word, or sound, we found ourselves muttering when read the last few sentences  of this novel.  We both loved and hated the ending of Coldbrook. That’s always much better than being indifferent toward it!

Without giving too much away, Coldbrook ends abruptly and a little unresolved.  I was left with a mix of emotions. There’s a hint of resolution and  a glimmer of hope left lingering.  The questions left unanswered mean many readers will be longing for a sequel.

I felt a little satisfaction because Jonah makes a sacrifice he’s somewhat forced into accepting. He knows it is for the greater good and since he’s aging and in ill health he manages to accept his fate. However he does so only after getting some questions answered while raising many more for the reader.

Meh. What’s Not So Great.

Asking for an honest opinion means pointing out the good and bad qualities. While there was a lot for us to rave about, there were also a few things we didn’t like about Coldbrook.

It’s a Little Long:  Our copy of Coldbrook wrapped up in just over 508 pages.  While that may not be all that long for a Horror or Science Fiction novel, it is quite a bit longer than the typical zombie novel we see.  There are only a few points where Coldbrook seemed to drag on a bit.  There are only a few areas of the novel where Lebbon could potentially trim the fat and thin the novel down but that’s not to say his writing style isn’t efficient and engaging. It definitely is.

It’s a fast read and the second half definitely seems to fly by faster than the first. Maybe it’s because we’re not used to reading 500 page zombie novels, but we found ourselves able to put the book down and walk away for a few days at times on a couple different occasions.  This typically happened toward the middle of the novel. Maybe it was simply psychological knowing we still had to get through another 200 pages or so to see any sort of conclusion. It’s difficult to put a finger on exactly why. . . but Coldbrook just seemed a little long and allowed us to lose focus at times.  If you prefer your zombie action combined to 250 to 300 pages you may not enjoy Coldbrook. Although we certainly recommend giving it a chance since you’re rewarded with a great story by the time you finish.

Character and Point of View Shifts:  Coldbrook essentially follows multiple characters and their stories. Due to the depth of the story that means readers will need to tolerate some changing and bouncing from character to character. The author does a great job of shifting to a new character at the beginning of a chapter and that prevents confusion. We’re simply issuing a warning.  If you’re the type of reader annoyed by one chapter abruptly ending in suspense only to yield to a new chapter about an entirely different character in a new situation, prepare yourself.

The Conclusion You Might Only Hate:  I’ve said we both loved and hated the ending.  I’ve covered what we liked about the ending so let’s take a look at what we didn’t like about Coldbrook’s conclusion.

We were left feeling a little angry because Coldbrook’s conclusion leaves you hanging. In a way it leaves you feeling a little cheated because many problems are left unresolved. It’s agonizing in a way.  The plan is carried out to completion but readers don’t actually get to see the outcome. You’re left wondering what ends up happening and whether or not the plan works.

As a reader you have a suspicion Lebbon will be writing a sequel but a fear that he could just decide to leave things a mystery.  Honestly he could do either and call it a success and that pi$$es us off because we want a sequel. Will there be a sequel or will Lebbon leave well enough alone and leave us to form our own conclusions? Only time will tell.

The partially unresolved ending of Colbrook is made a little easier to swallow because you see it coming. It becomes painfully obvious about three quarters of the way through the book when you realize it’s going to be nearly impossible for the author to wrap up all the loose ends by the end of the book.

The Final Verdict:

4/5 Brains

REVIEW SUMMARY

Book:

Coldbrook

Synopsis: Scientists at a top secret laboratory  hidden deep underground in the Appalachian Mountains create a gateway to a new world.  With this amazing new discovery comes a plaque unleashed from a parallel universe.   Billions of the undead walk the earth and the only cure is genetic immunity.  One young woman just might hold the key to humanity’s salvation. . . if someone can get to her in time.

Author: Tim Lebbon

Published by: Titan Books (A Division of Titan Publishing Group Ltd)

Date published: April 8, 2014

ISBN: 978-1781168783

Format: Paperback

 

Review Summary: Coldbrook is an engaging and exciting new approach to the zombie genre.  Lebbon masterfully blends Science Fiction and Zombie/Horror into an exciting tale of a zombie pandemic of otherworldly origins.  The conclusion of Coldbrook definitely leaves you yearning for more!

Reviewed by: ZombieGift.com

Book Title: Coldbrook

Date of Review: 09/04/2014

Rating: 4 / 5 Brains

The post Zombie Book Review: Coldbrook by Tim Lebbon appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

Introduction:

Nearly a year ago we had the pleasure of reviewing the zombie book, and author Colin M. Drysdale’s debut novel, For Those in Peril on the Sea. Evidently Colin has been writing a lot since then because he’s released a collection of zombie and apocalyptic themed short stories. He was nice enough to provide a review copy of this compilation entitled, Zombies Can’t Swim And Other Tales of The Undead.

This book is a collection of nearly two dozen short stories. Many of them were previously published on the author’s blog but some are unique to this book. I’m typically not a fan of short stories and before we go further I should probably explain why.

It’s probably not fair, but whenever I hear the words “short story” I tend to think “hastily written” or “poorly developed.”  I’m certainly no scholarly author myself, but I’ve read enough ill-conceived short stories (zombie or otherwise) to know “short story” is often a synonym for “lazy” or “incomplete.” It’s not that writing a short story is easy (composing an engaging brief undead tale is probably sometimes more difficult than writing a full-length zombie novel) it’s just the short story is often used as crutch for those unable to craft a respectable novel.

Fortunately none of the above apply to Zombies Can’t Swim and Other Tales of The Undead. With that in mind, here are my thoughts after reading Colin M. Drysdale’s latest offering from cover to cover. On with the review!

Zombies Can’t Swim And Other Tales of The Undead Review:

I was worried the short stories would also be short on detail, short on gore or simply lacking enough meat in the plot to keep me interested.  Those fears proved to be unfounded. The majority of the terse tales in this collection are so well written and so engaging they leave you yearning for more. There’s at least a few stories in this compilation I’d love to see expanded into full length novels.

I found these stories more realistic than many zombie novels I’ve read. I really liked the fact that Mr. Drysdale acknowledges the fact that the good guy doesn’t always win, especially when it comes to the apocalypse and the days of the undead roaming the earth. Things don’t always work out for the best. Sometimes the most logical or easiest conclusion to  a zombie story isn’t always the prettiest or most desirable for the protagonist.

One of the wonderful aspects of the short story genre is it affords authors the freedom of abruptness. When space is limited we don’t need to develop characters throughout many chapters. There’s no need to worry about lengthy back stories; no need for foreshadowing. This freedom allows the reader, and the author, to focus mainly on the present moment or the immediate future.  Since readers don’t spend hundreds of pages getting invested in a character, this freedomt also permits the story teller to end things on their terms. I found this to be pretty refreshing and it is just one of the reasons I loved this book.

What’s Great:

Perfect for Reading in Short Bursts:      A collection of short zombie themed stories is perfect for busy zombie fans that don’t have a ton of time to read. This is also the ideal solution for those with a short attention span.  I loved being able to pick up this book and read a short story or two when I needed a break from my daily activities. While I could have easily sat down and read through this in a single session, I loved the option to pick up with a new story later on. The fact that there was no need to flip back through chapters in an effort to recall what happened three days ago when I last had time to read was simply icing on the cake for me.

Well Written:     Short doesn’t mean uninteresting in this case. These are all concise short stories that will suck you in. They are so delightfully descriptive and painfully pithy you’ll have a burning desire to read to the end of each one before putting the book down.

Author’s Notes:    The end of most stories in this book features an “Author’s Notes” section.  It’s a very cool little blurb where Mr. Drysdale provides some deeper insight on things such as  why a story was written, how the idea came about or simply a way to provide more information on a topic.

Great Proof-Reading and Editing:  I found no mistakes or glaring content issues with this novel that could detract from the reader’s enjoyment. That sometimes seems like a welcome exception to the rule in the world of zombie themed fiction.

Meh. What’s Not So Great:

There really isn’t much that displeases me with this zombie book. That being said, few things are perfect and Zombies Can’t Swim is no exception.

Cover Art:     It’s not that the cover art for Zombies Can’t Swim is terrible, it’s just not great. The blue, black and yellow color scheme is certainly attention grabbing but the artwork just doesn’t match the quality of the content within this compilation of zombie short stories.  Hiring a professional to design your book cover isn’t cheap but we think it would be a good idea here.  We shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but many people do.  We fear many people might pass on this book and miss the wonderfully written zombie content simply because it has a boring cover.

The Pain of Partiality:     Some of the short stories in this book leave you hanging.  Many don’t exactly end with a clear black and white conclusion. Readers are left with an imagination running wild and a hunger for a complete full length version of the tale so we can have the resolution our brains so desperately seek.

Final Verdict:

4.75 Out of 5

Zombies Can’t Swim was a great read and we highly recommend fans of the zombie and post-apocalyptic fiction genres pick up a copy of their own. The shorter stories are perfect for busy zombie fans to digest in several sessions.  While the cover art wasn’t up to par with the great content between their pages, it certainly isn’t a reason for not owning this fantastic zombie book.

About the Author: For more information about Colin M. Drysdale visit his official site at www.forthoseinperil.net.

Disclaimer: The author provided a copy of this book for purposes of critical review and for a promotional product giveaway. While this didn’t impact our opinion of the product(s)in any way, we felt obligated to mention this potential material connection. Please see our Review Policy and Terms for information and complete details on the policies regarding our reviews.

The post Zombie Book Review: “Zombies Can’t Swim and Other Tales of the Undead” By Colin M. Drysdale appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

We recently had the pleasure of reading and reviewing the Zombie novel, The Burning Z by Clive Riddle. The folks at HealthQuest Publishers were kind enough to send over an extra autographed copy to give away to one lucky ZombieGift.com fan.

Be sure to check out our review of this great zombie book and then enter to win an autographed copy of your very own right here!

Good luck and if you aren’t lucky enough to score a copy of your own, we highly recommend picking up a copy to add to your zombie book collection today.

ENTER HERE:

Rules: Please read applicable rules in the entry widget above.

The post Zombie Giveaway: Win a FREE Autographed copy of The Burning Z by Clive Riddle appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.

Here are some of the curiosities you’ll encounter within the pages of Clive Riddles zombie novel, The Burning Z:

• Zombies at Burning Man Festival
• Zombies that enjoy the taste of fresh urine
• Zombies drawn to the delicious aroma of porta-potty toilets
• Heroes clad in plastic Storm-trooper costumes
• Zombies attacking a fictitious Alamo while trampling life sized Pee-Wee Herman cardboard cut-outs

Don’t worry all of the crazy cooky aspects of the book we mentioned above will make perfect sense if you read this unique zombie novel. Now that I’ve got your attention, it’s safe to say The Burning Z  definitely isn’t your typical zombie book. That’s one of the reasons we enjoyed it. We know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong. It’s not another one of those zombie books. I was skeptical at first to.

When HealthQuest Publishers contacted us asking if we’d be interested in reviewing their zombie book, we honestly weren’t sure what to expect. We read their plot synopsis and knew it sounded unlike anything we’ve read before and that’s half the battle when it comes to books in the undead genre.

This isn’t your run of the mill zombie apocalypse survival story which is a good thing. I was worried the whole Burning Man scenario would mean endless references to drug use and other depraved acts. I was wrong! The festivities of Burning Man are certainly central to the story but this book isn’t dominated by it and there’s a lot more substance and meat to sink your teeth into. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s take a brief look at a summary of the main story. While the following section does outline some major plot points, it shouldn’t contain any major plot spoilers should you decide to pick up a copy for yourself.

Plot Synopsis:

Normally this is a point in the review I hate. So much so that sometimes I leave it out entirely.  This is the part where I normally struggle to write a plot summary because the author and publisher of the book failed to compose any sort of plot synopsis. Not so with The Burning Z. Flip the book over and right there on the back is a near perfect summary of the book’s main storyline.  Call me lazy, but it describes things so well that I don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel. There’s no need for me to debate on how much detail I should go into or if I’m spoiling things for future readers.

ZOMBIES GO TO BURNING MAN: Zombies invade the Black Rock desert, while a flawed hero tries to rescue his rekindled love.

The Burning Z takes us back to the source of a zombie outbreak – a pre-zombie apocalypse world  – but one in which a passing zombie might not merit a second glance: the annual Burning Man festival in the Black Rock desert. A mysterious meteor slams into the Black Rock desert and soon a growing number of zombies are on the loose.

Bruce and Conner – hometown friends who experience sudden success early in their careers, followed by a long downward trajectory encounter the z’s and embark on a quest across the desert to save Conner s recently rekindled high school love who is attending Burning Man. Alan Gorman – the steadfast, retired Air Force physician with expert marksmanship and a prosthetic lower limb – endures his own odyssey trying to alert the authorities to the escalating zombie menace. It all leads to a climatic, costumed battle of the Alamo, inside Burning Man’s Black Rock City.

Do Bruce, Connor and his love survive? What do meteors have to do with zombies?  Zombies like urine? Really? How can that be helpful? Why a Stormtrooper costume? Do the humans triumph and defeat the undead? You’ll have to read The Burning Z to answer these BURNING questions. (Bad pun intended). One thing we can tell you is Mr Riddle definitely left the story open for a sequel. We can’t wait!

Onward to our thoughts! Now that we’ve finally had a chance to read The Burning Z, let’s break it down and take a look at what we liked and didn’t like about this unique zombie book.

What’s Great:

High Quality Paperback: Once we held the book in our hands for the first time many fears of this being a bad book were erased. The book just exudes a sense of high quality. The crisp, glossy heavy weight  front and back cover sandwich 373 pages that feel equally superb.

Cover Art:   It’s a mantra you’ve heard me chant over and over again: the zombie book genre is full of horrible cover at. Fortunately The Burning Z is an exception to the rule.  The true aesthetic beauty of this book is in the cover art, designed by Ellen Dykes. The cover has a beautiful blood stained, cracked map of Burning Man and the Black Rock Desert. The design, font and quality of the cover material itself all work together very well. I accidentally spilled some water I was drinking while reading my copy and I messed up the back cover. I was genuinely upset because I like this cover so much!

The Plot: You can’t totally judge a book by its cover. The Burning Z has an engaging and unique zombie plot that keeps you coming back. Zombies and gore are part of the story and not the plot in its entirety. Too many zombie books rely on the same old tired undead clichés. Author Clive Riddle leaves you hanging at the right moments. He throws in changes of perspective and new chapters just as you think you’re beginning to get things figured out. While the plot did slow down slightly for me at a couple points, overall it kept me  eager to read on.

Well Written and Someone Actually Proofread:  While this shouldn’t be such a welcome change, the truth is it is. We read a lot of zombie books. We see a lot of undead novels with hordes of mistakes. Fortunately, Mr. Riddle’s zombie tale had no distracting typos or grammatical errors that seem to be so prevalent in other works in this category.

The Ending:  The conclusion of The Burning Z left us feeling an odd combination of satisfaction and anger. We won’t give it away here, so relax. About three quarters of the way through the book it was pretty apparent the chances of a full resolution to the problems at hand just wasn’t likely. After finishing the last paragraph that realization hits home pretty hard. While the final pages of this zombie narrative resolve some immediate situations satisfactorily, the book’s concluding pages leave you with the agonizing revelation the story is probably just getting started. Worse yet you’re left hungering for a sequel that you can’t be sure is ever coming. Da*n you Clive Riddle!

Accompanying Website:  There is a nifty website to accompany this book: BurningZ.com. This website allows you to read more on Burning Man and surrounding areas and provides links to tons of other fun and entertaining information. You can even read the first 10 pages of The Burning Z !

Meh. What’s Not So Great:

::SIGH:: This is the other dreaded aspect of publishing reviews. Part of the job of anyone publishing a fair and impartial review is to list the bad with the good. Let’s all put on our big boy undies, roll up our sleeves and get to it. Fortunately there isn’t much to dislike about this zombie book.

A Little Too Much Info on Burning Man: The author is obviously passionate and knowledgeable about Burning Man and the Black Rock Desert areas that serve as the stage for his zombie tale: sometimes to a fault. At certain points in the book, particularly in the first half, the author goes off on a bit of a tangent and going into great detail about the layout of Burning Man and the related Black Rock Desert area. Mr. Riddle knows about this stuff and he’s not afraid to show it.  I personally found some of these points in the book to be distracting to me as a reader and others I shared the book with tended to agree.

While this isn’t anything that tarnishes the book , there is just a little too much local love and too much detail about Burning Man in some points. I’m confident the author felt these detailed descriptions were necessary for the reader to fully appreciate the setting and story but that didn’t make me like these sections any more.  One example I keep finding my mind drifting back to is a small section entitled, “Mapping BRC.”

While this little chapter is only about 3 pages long, it’s a good example of some of the Burning Man detail that left me scratching my head.  In one part Riddle explains the street layout and naming convention for Black Rock City. I’ll spare you the details but it left me a little confused.  I couldn’t help but feel like I was delving into an introductory college course on the history of Burning Man. Although the section is beautifully written, for some reason it just didn’t sink in.   I found myself puzzled and chose to simply move on rather than making an attempt to re-read the section in order to understand it more completely.  (Unfortunately for the author, this reader has a short attention span.) I will say my choice to move on without a full grasp on the intricacies of the design layout of Black Rock City didn’t seem to affect me at all. It’s just one complaint that otherwise doesn’t detract from a really good read.

 The Ending: We told you we both loved and hated the ending. We’re only complaining here because we want to read the sequel. NOW!

 The Final Verdict:

4 out of 5 stars: Pick up a copy to add to your zombie book collection today!

The Burning Z is a welcome and refreshing new approach to the sometimes stale and saturated zombie novel market.  Author Clive Riddle  obviously spent some time on The Burning Z and as a result he has composed an enjoyable zombie novel written in a compelling and concise style that’s a pleasure to read.While not perfect, we definitely recommend picking up a copy. There were some slow points in the plot for me, but by the time the action really started  picking up in the second half of the book I was excited to read on to see how things unfolded. The story ended in an abruptly open  manner that definitely hints there will likely be at least a sequel in the works. To Clive we have only this to say, “Hurry up and write the sequel!”

The Burning Z is available at Amazon in both Paperback and Kindle e-versions:

The post Zombie Book Review: The Burning Z by Clive Riddle appeared first on ZombieGift.com Zombie Blog.