Zombies! discussion

I don't know if this question has already been asked, but I am curious to get any information on zombie books. The only book I've ever read about zombies was Cell by Stephen King. I loved it and the premise is totally hysterical. I looooooooooooooooove zombie movies. I try to see every one that comes out.

There are a lot of good ones out. Cell, to me, doesn't exactly qualify as zombies, so much as apocalyptic or horror.

This is my "Zombies" bookshelf: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

All of the books on that list are zombie books, and the top ten (in no particular order!) in my opinion, would be:

1. As The World Dies and the sequel, Fighting to Survive
2. Plague of the Dead and the sequel, Thunder & Ashes
3. I am Legend - THE ORIGINAL
4. Day by Day Armageddon
5. The Autumn series - 4 books in the series

That's ten books above. Other good ones are the Monster series and the Keen books, though I have issue with them because the zombies are sentient and some have otherworldy powers. The stories are good, but I take issue with zombies that can think and plan, LOL.

Also good are the 28 Days books, but again, I have issues because the "zombies" are hella fast and uberscary. Again, the stories are good, but zombies are just NOT supposed to be THAT FAST. Same with the remake of I am Legend: great story, great movie, but the "zombies" are too fast, have superpowers and can climb up buildings and almost fly. Not true zombies.

I wouldn't say I Am Legend is a zombie book by far. IMO, if you've read the original, you know they are not zombies, but another classic monster. I won't ruin it for those who haven't read it yet. Good book, but not a zombie book.

I actually agree with that. But there are zombie-ish elements and I have the book on several of my shelves (apocalyptic, horror, etc.).

definitley zombie-ish elements, didn't know if Kim was specifically looking for zombie's or not. Still good books though!

World War Z by Max Brooks is my all time zombie fave.

Kemper wrote: "World War Z by Max Brooks is my all time zombie fave."

I second this...The Living Dead is good for zombie short stories.

Thanks for the recommendations. I have read I am Legend. I liked it a lot. I understand what you both are saying about the type of monster it is and the zombie-like elements. I am looking for zombie books because I would like to read specifically about them.

Another vote for "World War Z". I really loved it. I'm reading "Breathers" right now and it's a blast so far. I'll let you know about it later.

World War Z by Max Brooks. I was really impressed with it. And I love how it was told.

Felicia wrote: "There are a lot of good ones out. Cell, to me, doesn't exactly qualify as zombies, so much as apocalyptic or horror.

This is my "Zombies" bookshelf: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/......"


Great list! My favorites are the Keen books even though I guess you are correct in that they aren't traditional zombies at all. Still, the situations are very "Night of the Living Dead." I also notice you don't have THE WALKING DEAD on your list. Yes, it's a comic book, but still one of the best ongoing zombies series available. A must read.

Jill wrote: "World War Z by Max Brooks. I was really impressed with it. And I love how it was told."


I think I'm about the only person in the world who did not really like WORLD WAR Z. The lack of a continuous story made it difficult for me to get through. It felt like reading a bunch of news articles, not a novel. I got about halfway through and was bored and never finished it. Oh well. I do admire what Max Brooks has done with his two books. A friend lent me the audio book of WORLD WAR Z (which they say has some great voice talent on it) so will give that a shot when I have some time.

Sorry Andy, but I'm throwing my weight behind World War Z as well. I couldn't put the thing down. Plus it's total devotion to all things in the traditional zombie cannon was much appreciated.

Additionally, The Walking Dead TPBs are phenomenal. I feel like they're scripted for a ground-breaking HBO series or something.

Randy wrote: "Sorry Andy, but I'm throwing my weight behind World War Z as well. I couldn't put the thing down. Plus it's total devotion to all things in the traditional zombie cannon was much appreciated.

Addi..."

That's OK. I realize I'm in the minority on World War Z. I trully went into it expecting to love it. As I said, I have not given up. I will give the audio book a try, and one of these days I will get around to finishing the book.

I should have mentioned The Walking Dead also. It is an incredible series.

@Randy - I had the exact same thought. That reading them feels like you're readng the storyboards for an HBO series. I keep hoping that some cable network will use them as the basis for a series.

Every Sigh, The End by Jason S. Hornsby, published by Permuted Press.

For those that read and enjoyed ESTE, Jason's new book Eleven Twenty-Three will be published soon.

Jill wrote: "World War Z by Max Brooks. I was really impressed with it. And I love how it was told."

Add my vote to the list!

Andy, the Walking Dead books are not on my list because I haven't read them yet. I have them...recent birthday gift, but haven't read them. I will add them when I do. :-)

Felicia wrote: "Andy, the Walking Dead books are not on my list because I haven't read them yet. I have them...recent birthday gift, but haven't read them. I will add them when I do. :-)"


Cool. I'm anxious to hear what you think.

don't have a favorite zombie book but here is a new one about the evolution of zombies and pop culture.

Zombie Holocaust: How the Living Dead Devoured Pop Culture David Flint (Plexus Publishing)

Zombie Holocaust is a lively history of one of the most enduring fictional archetypes: the shambling, stalking, lethal living dead. From mentally enslaved cane field workers in Haiti , first described in early-20th-century travelogues, to the mindless hordes of soulless killers that regularly destroy our civilization onscreen and on the printed page, the zombie has undergone an eye-popping transformation. With wry humor and unflinching attention to detail, this colorful book celebrates these creatures in all their fetid glory. Author David Flint excavates early accounts of how voodoo was believed to reanimate the dead, unearths horror movie incarnations from Bela Lugosi’s White Zombie to George Romero’s cult classics to recent Eurotrash zombies, showcases graphic novel and comic book versions like EC’s putrefying nasties and Marvel’s Tales of the Zombie, and much more. The book is both a fun pop culture survey and a deeper study of what underlies the undiminished popularity of these terrifying, tragic figures in an anxious, post-9/11 world.

Though this isn't my favorite zombie book it is my most recent. Here is my review of Breathers: a zombie's lament.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51...

Okay, I'm convinced. I just ordered World War Z.

Has anyone read this?

Dead City

William wrote: "Has anyone read this?

Dead City"

Yup. :-)) Standard formulaic zombie story...needs a sequel, though.

I read it. Wasn't that impressed. It's like "let's go over here, oh shit zombies! let's go over here, oh no more zombies!" the whole way through. It is graphic though, great for a quick fix of zombie action.

Justin wrote: "I read it. Wasn't that impressed. It's like "let's go over here, oh shit zombies! let's go over here, oh no more zombies!" the whole way through. It is graphic though, great for a quick fix of z..."

I agree but it was an enjoyable quick read. Zombies, zombies everywhere!

The Zombie Survival Guide Complete Protection From the Living Dead

The Zombie Survival Guide - Max Brooks

Very funny and very informative. :)

World War Z and pretty much eberything from Permuted Press.

If anybody needs any ideas for what zombie novels to read, go to my profile. I have a zombie book list. As far as I know it is the most comprehensive zombie list on goodreads. I have read every zombie novel on the list, 50 and counting! The list has pretty much every zombie novel ever published. I think im missing less than a dozen that I havent gotten around to buying yet.

WWZ and Day by Day Armageddon.

I'm depressed because the first Zombie fiction I ever read was WWZ ... and now it seems like i'm in an endless quest to find ANYTHING that is half as good.

I've since read the Brian Keene stuff - which was well written but they were possessed by demons, which i hate.

I read the Morningstar strain stuff - which felt much more like a rough draft of something written in community college than an actual novel - i've heard Permuted Press novels are all generally like that?

I read Breathers - which was good, but more of a Chuck P. dark comedy with a zombie backdrop.

I'm even readying the old "Book of the Dead" edited by Specter .. and the new "Living Dead" anthologies - and the stories are mostly sex-related or some kind of author twist on trying to jazz up the zombies.

I really really just want some good old fashioned zombies that never stop coming and some regular old fashioned survivors that freak out and self destruct.

Honestly, for the HUGE amount of this stuff that has flooded the market ... the only thing that i think is even remotely on par with WWZ is Robert Kirkman's WALKING DEAD comic ... Are Kirkman and Brooks the only ones that can write something decent without trying to reinvent the wheel or come off as middle-school writing?

Doug wrote: "I'm depressed because the first Zombie fiction I ever read was WWZ ... and now it seems like i'm in an endless quest to find ANYTHING that is half as good.

I've since read the Brian Keene stuff - ..."

I highly recommend "Day by Day Armageddon" I read it right after WWZ and it could have easily been a part of that book.

I agree with Willy but I still gotta finish that book. Patient Zero is good, but more like a cop thriller.

Day by Day Armegeddon was good as well as the Morning Star Strain. Autumn, by David Moody was good as well as the Monster Planet series by David Wellington.

Forgot World War Z. Very good as well. Sunset by JJ Ritonya is also a personal favorite.

Eden by Tony Monchinski hasn't been mentioned and it is pretty good. It is by Permuted Press. Rhiannon Frater's 2 books are very good reads. One book I haven't read that I hear is good is Oasis by Bryce Beattie.

Sunset by JJ Ritonya is also a personal favorite."

haha - the fact that you wrote it wouldn't have anything to do with that?? I'll read it if i can find a copy.

LOL, just seeing if anyone is awake. Nice catch!

Has anyone read Cell?

I have. I thought it was pretty good. I've read worse zombie novels as well as worse Stephen King novels.

I thought the first half of Cell was great, but it faded quickly in the second half. It's worth reading the first chapter or so just for the intial outbreak scene in Boston. I read it several years ago and I still get nervous waiting in line for ice cream....

I thought "Cell" was OK overall. The initial Boston scene is good but I didn't like how the city seemed abandoned within hours of the outbreak. I'd think there would still be freaks running around all over the place so early after the outbreak.

I actually was thrown by the beginning as a King book. I felt like i wasn't given enough time to get to know the main character before everything broke down and zombies started attacking. Then i realized that's how a lot of zombie movies are.

I loved Cell! And what really scared me to death, was the realism of it. You can't help but wonder.....could that actually happen?

I liked Cell a lot because it wasn't a typical SK book. The Zombie massacre started immediately so it was action from the get go, which as we all know is not your usual SK set up as he is a a tad wordy on the premise usually. I also love the fact that the cell phones turned people into zombies because they really do!

World War Z
Patient Zero
Plague and Thunder and Ashes
Dying to Live

"Soulless" is the best zombie book i've ever read. It is a horror novel by Christopher Golden.

Check out my review on the book. It's a great read.

world war z