Is there such a thing as a good zombie book?

[Randy M.]

I was curious about Southern Gods after reading This Dark Earth, but that's a little disappointing.

Each chapter in TDE takes a new character's perspective, but they all end up being interrelated somehow. Things devolve quickly and humanity ends up being the real bad guy.

I also don't mean to insinuate that I've read a whole bunch of zombie books, I've only read a few, but TDE's the best of those.

Milage may vary, Seak. I thought it entertaining (scroll to post #50), but not as good as I'd hoped. Since it's stemming from Lovecraft, I'd be more inclined to recommend Laird Barron's The Croning or one of Caitlin Kiernan's novels.


Randy M.

[ms529212]

I'm also disappointed by most zombie novels I've read. I enjoyed Rot & Ruin, but that's a YA book and probably not quite what you're looking for.

[Danogzilla]

Thanks for the responses. I've ordered a couple of them and started reading Feed (enjoying it, only about 100 pages in thus far). I'm not certain yet what will sate my soul hunger, so I think I'll have to experiment.
Also, Brenton, welcome to the boards .

[ms529212]

I neglected to mention Brian Keene's books - The Rising and City Of The Dead. He has a clever and unique take on zombie origins. Although I found the books to be unusually dark and hopeless, even by zombie story standards.

[Snowy]

Danogzilla, have you tried the graphic novelisation of The Walking Dead. Not sure if that will be frowned upon in a literary forum, but they really are superb, and you can get compendium books of the series although they are not cheap.

It will of course hugely spoilerise future episodes of the TV series for you, as the series is following the graphic novels, but highly recommended nonetheless.

[Seak]

Milage may vary, Seak. I thought it entertaining (scroll to post #50), but not as good as I'd hoped. Since it's stemming from Lovecraft, I'd be more inclined to recommend Laird Barron's The Croning or one of Caitlin Kiernan's novels.

Randy M.

Thanks for that, nice review. I would definitely be curious to see if you think he's improved, but don't let me pick out what you read. (<--smily face which isn't showing up on my browser)

I can't get over that cover for The Croning, maybe on kindle then. I haven't read Caitlin Kiernan's novels and didn't know they were along those lines. Interesting, I'll have to check her out.

[End Of Disc One]

Dead Beat of the Dresden files is a freaking fantastic zombie book.

[hawkeyye]

Try "Day by Day Armageddon" by JL Bourne. Two books out and a third coming in December. I personally loved these books. Good combo of survival, action, post-apoc world after Z-day.

[Randy M.]

Thanks for that, nice review. I would definitely be curious to see if you think he's improved, but don't let me pick out what you read. (<--smily face which isn't showing up on my browser)

I can't get over that cover for The Croning, maybe on kindle then. I haven't read Caitlin Kiernan's novels and didn't know they were along those lines. Interesting, I'll have to check her out.

Was I clear that the Barron and Kiernan were Lovecraftian, not that they were zombiferous?


Randy M.

[upperhi]

I thought Raising Stony Mayhall (by Daryl Gregory) was a great book that happened to be about zombies. (and most of it from the POV of a zombie).

[AuntiePam]

Green Eyes by Lucius Shepard. It's out of print but there are used copies, cheap. No zombie hordes, just one tragic figure.

[Seak]

Was I clear that the Barron and Kiernan were Lovecraftian, not that they were zombiferous?


Randy M.

Yes, it was. Sorry for the delayed response. :-D

[Seak]

Green Eyes by Lucius Shepard. It's out of print but there are used copies, cheap. No zombie hordes, just one tragic figure.

I've read some of Shepard's short work and it's been some of my favorite reads anywhere. I'll have to look into finding a copy of Green Eyes.

[Kenneth2]

I've never heard of a zombie book to begin with.

[owlcroft]

Re: Zone One by Colson Whitehead. I have not yet read it, but I have read other speculative fiction by Whitehead (The Intuitionist) and he is an excellent writer in all respects--prose, characterization, setting, perhaps less so as to plot (not unsatisfactory plots, just not much plot, period).